Lebanon urges US to put pressure on Israel, which continues its strikes

Lebanese leaders on Monday, May 11, urged the United States to put pressure on Israel to stop the shelling of several regions of the country, which continues despite a truce theoretically in force since April 17.

The new toll from Israeli strikes, updated Monday by the Lebanese Ministry of Health, stands at 2,869 dead since the start of the war between pro-Iranian Hezbollah and Israel on March 2, including dozens of people killed since it came into force. of the ceasefire.

President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam separately received American Ambassador Michel Issa, in preparation for new discussions scheduled for May 14 and 15 in Washington between Lebanon and Israel.

President Aoun “insisted (…) on the need to put pressure on Israel to stop the shooting, put an end to military operations and the demolition and razing of houses”, according to a press release from the presidency.

Nawaf Salam, for his part, asked the diplomat to “put pressure on Israel to put an end to the persistent attacks and violations, with a view to consolidating the ceasefire”, according to his office.

Israeli soldier killed near Lebanon

Israel intensified its strikes at the end of the week and launched a call on Monday to evacuate nine Lebanese localities, including seven in the south and two in the east of the country. The national information agency (ANI, official) reported strikes on several villages in these regions.

AFP correspondents saw bombings in several locations in the south and plumes of smoke rising from the targeted sites. Despite the ceasefire, Israeli forces and Hezbollah exchange fire daily, mainly in southern Lebanon, where Israel controls a strip about 10 km deep from the border.

The pro-Iranian Hezbollah for its part claimed Monday attacks against the Israeli army in Lebanese territory. A soldier “fell in combat” on Sunday near the border with Lebanon, the Israeli army announced on Monday, the death toll rising to 18 soldiers and a civilian contractor killed since the start of the war.

Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into a new war with Israel on March 2 by attacking its sworn enemy with rockets to avenge the death of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed on the first day of the Israeli-American offensive against Tehran. Israel responded by carrying out massive strikes and a ground incursion into the south.

“We are now facing the occupation of 68 Lebanese localities due to this war that was imposed on us,” Prime Minister Nawaf Salam declared in an interview with Al-Arabiya channel on Sunday evening.