Saudi Arabia expresses ‘great concern’ over escalation in Lebanon
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia is closely monitoring the recent escalation of violence in Lebanon with “great concern,” according to the kingdom’s Foreign Ministry on early Monday.
The Ministry underscored the necessity of safeguarding Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Xinhua news agency reported.
In light of the ongoing turmoil, Saudi Arabia reiterated its solidarity with the Lebanese people and urged the international community to take decisive action to preserve regional peace and security, warning against the perils of war.
The Ministry also announced initiatives to provide medical and humanitarian aid to support the Lebanese people during these critical times.
Since September 23, Israel has executed its most extensive military operations against Lebanon since 2006. It also launched airstrikes on Friday evening targeting Hezbollah’s headquarters in Dahieh, a southern suburb of Beirut, resulting in the deaths of the armed group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, along with several senior commanders.
These attacks mark a significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which began on October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israel in solidarity with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, prompting Israeli retaliatory strikes in southeastern Lebanon.
Addressing the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan called for preserving Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty per international law and UN Security Council resolutions.
“The absence of accountability and punishment despite Israel’s ongoing violations of international law and humanitarian law encourages further escalation,” he added.
Bin Farhan warned that escalation will not bring security or stability to any party.
“It signals dangerous consequences instead and increases the scale of violence and war and further threatens security and stability of the region,” he said.
The top Saudi diplomat said his country has “joined international efforts aimed at establishing an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon to pave the way for a sustainable diplomatic resolution,” he added.
The US, EU, and several other countries called last week for a temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah to facilitate diplomatic efforts.
Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 41,600 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas last October 7.
The international community has warned that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could escalate the ongoing Gaza conflict into a wider regional war.