Egyptian Foreign Minister receives his Lebanese counterpart
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said that Lebanon is working to ensure any response to Israel does not trigger total war, in a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart.
Bou Habib added that Hezbollah's response to the Israeli attacks would not benefit any of the countries involved, including Israel.
"We, as officials, do not want any war. Therefore, if a response is necessary, it should not be collective or so severe that it escalates into a broader conflict,” Bou Habib said.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty highlighted the importance of international coordination between Egypt and the U.S.
"There is a clear bilateral agreement on the importance of taking immediate action to halt the escalation and address any dangerous repercussions for security and stability in the region," Abdelatty said.
“The United States is a major power, and Egypt is a significant regional power, so it is normal for there to be joint consultation and coordination between the two countries. There is a clear bilateral agreement on the importance of taking immediate action to halt the escalation and address any dangerous repercussions for security and stability in the region. We certainly have points of agreement, like the necessity of an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, halting the Israeli aggression there, and reaching a deal that ensures the release of the hostages and the Palestinian prisoners,.” he added.
Tensions in the region have spiraled in the last week following the killing in Tehran of Palestinian Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and an Israeli strike on Beirut's suburbs that killed Hezbollah senior commander Fuad Shukr.
Lebanon's armed group Hezbollah launched a series of drone and rocket attacks into northern Israel but warned that its much-anticipated retaliation for Israel's killing of a top commander last week was yet to come.
