Egyptian minister warns of escalation in Lebanon
Egyptian foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty spoke with his Lebanese and Iranian counterparts in order to discuss escalating tensions in the region.
According to Middle East Monitor on March 22nd, Abdelatty along with Lebanese minister Youssef Rajji and Iranian minister
Abbas Araghchi addressed the “alarming escalation in southern Lebanon, which could lead to further tension and instability in the region and exacerbate an already fragile situation.”
The Egyptian minister reiterated his country’s support for Lebanon and vowed to reject any actions that would threaten the “security, safety, and stability of the brotherly Lebanese people.”
Abdelatty went on to acknowledge the importance of upholding the ceasefire agreement in southern Lebanon and called for “the full and unconditional withdrawal of Israeli forces and enabling the Lebanese army to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701.”
A delicate ceasefire has held between Israel and Lebanon since the 27th November 2024 however Israel has restarted airstrikes on the country.
Lebanon and Israel have been engaged in a conflict since Hezbollah launched a series of strikes on their southern neighbour following Hamas’ attacks on October 7th 2023.
Emmanuel Macron who, along with US counterparts, mediated the ceasefire agreement called for Lebanon’s state authority to be respected and for the Israeli military to end their presence in the south of the country, as reported by Maghrebi on January 28th.
In light of recent airstrikes by the Israeli Air Force, Egypt, Lebanon and Iran have engaged in talks in order to “restore calm, avoid violence and solidify the ceasefire in Gaza.”
Abdelatty appealed for calm and called for “the importance of restraint during this critical period and warned against actions that could worsen the already volatile situation in the region.”
Israel has warned of further aggression should strikes from Hezbollah occur in the future an, despite the warnings of world leaders, the terms of the ceasefire appear to be threatened.
Want to chase the pulse of North Africa?
Enter your email address and name to receive our weekly newsletter.
