France has called for an emergency United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting this week to address the escalating violence in Lebanon following Israel's expanded military operations targeting Hezbollah, Barron's reported.
The Israeli strikes, which took place on Monday, resulted in the deaths of nearly 500 people and left over 1,600 injured, according to NBC News.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot appealed during a United Nations General Assembly speech, urging all parties to avoid a regional conflict that could have devastating consequences, particularly for civilians.
"I have requested that an emergency meeting of the Security Council be held in Lebanon this week," Barrot stated, emphasizing the need to prevent further escalation that could lead to a widespread humanitarian crisis.
The violence marks the deadliest day of conflict between Israel and Lebanon since their 34-day war in 2006. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported hitting 1,300 "terrorist targets" within Lebanon, primarily linked to Hezbollah, a militant group backed by Iran that has been in sporadic conflict with Israel for nearly a year.
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari acknowledged the high casualty numbers and indicated that many of those killed were combatants positioned near weapon stockpiles. He accused Hezbollah of storing weapons in civilian areas, including cruise missiles, heavy rockets, and armed drones capable of reaching significant distances.
"Whoever tries to hurt us, we hurt him even more," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a briefing at military headquarters in Tel Aviv. He added that Israel was shifting the security dynamics in the region, a pledge he said was being fulfilled with the ongoing military campaign.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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