Israel conducts new raids against Hezbollah, Macron calls for calm

INTERNATIONAL – Climate of extreme tension. The Israeli army indicated this Thursday evening, September 19, that it had carried out new air raids in Lebanon, already damaged by the explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies, against Hezbollah rocket launchers. “ready to be used immediately to fire on Israeli territory”.

“Since this afternoon, (the Air Force) has struck approximately 100 launchers and other (…) terrorist infrastructure representing approximately 1,000 guns”according to a statement from the Israeli army, which assures of its determination to “ continue to demolish Hezbollah’s infrastructure and capabilities (…) to defend the State of Israel”.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah acknowledged on Thursday that his group had suffered a blow. “unprecedented”after the deadly explosions of its transmission devices in Lebanon, promising a “ terrible » response to this spectacular attack which he attributes to Israel.

A preliminary investigation by Lebanese authorities shows that the Hezbollah beepers, walkie-talkies and other transmission devices that exploded this week were booby-trapped before entering the country, according to a letter from the Lebanese mission to the UN seen by AFP.

Fear of regional war

The explosions of devices used by members of the Islamist group killed 37 people and injured nearly 3,000 on Tuesday and Wednesday, exacerbating fears of a full-scale war in the Middle East. Israel has not commented on the attacks, which it is accused of.

In this very tense context, Emmanuel Macron addressed the Lebanese people directly this Thursday evening in a video on social networks, assuring them that a “ diplomatic path exists” and that “ “War is not inevitable”. “Nobody has an interest in escalation”said the French president.

“Nothing, no regional adventure, no private interest, no loyalty to any cause deserves to trigger a conflict in Lebanon”he added, assuring that France was at the “ sides » Lebanese people.

“Refusing fatality” of war

In his video, he pays tribute to the “ civilian victims of this week’s attacks”. « While your country continues to overcome trials, Lebanon cannot live in fear of an imminent war. And I tell you very clearly, as I have told everyone, we must refuse this inevitability.”he insisted, believing that it is up to Lebanese political leaders “ also to act in this direction”.

“More than ever, you need a president at this moment to assume the leadership of the country in the face of the threats that weigh on you”he added, while the Lebanese political class has been unable to name one for months. “I know that in confusion, in sorrow, hope is a rare commodity. In this confusion, in this sorrow, France stands by your side.”he concluded.