USA, urgent call for cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah

2024-06-19 10:21:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

USA, urgent call for cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah

US special envoy Amos Hochstein, AP photo

The United States on Tuesday called for an end to cross-border fighting and an easing of tensions between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah group, as the threat of a full-scale war grows.

The comments by the US special envoy to Beirut, Amos Hochstein, came on Tuesday as attacks continued to escalate on both sides of the border.

Israel and Hezbollah began exchanging weapons on October 8, a day after Hamas' deadly attack in southern Israel.

The latest attacks, including Tuesday's Hezbollah drone attack on an Israeli tank, followed an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon that killed a senior Hezbollah commander last week.

Iran-backed Hezbollah, which was allied with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, has said it would stop attacks only after a ceasefire is reached between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has said he hopes for an end to the conflict with Israel, but is prepared to continue attacks if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "insists" on continuing the war.

"We hope that the war will stop very soon, but if Netanyahu insists on war, he will lead the Zionist entity to disaster and lead the opposing front to a great and proud historic victory," he said.

Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said Hezbollah is endangering Lebanon with its efforts to be a "shield for Hamas."

"Hezbollah's increasing aggression is bringing us to the brink of what could be a wider escalation, which could have devastating consequences for Lebanon and the entire region," spokesman Hagari said.

US special envoy for the Middle East Amos Hochstein called on Hamas to accept a US-backed cease-fire deal, saying it would also help reduce tensions in the conflict along Lebanon's southern border.

Mr Hochstein said a ceasefire or a diplomatic solution to stop the Israel-Hezbollah conflict was "urgent".

According to the media, around 473 individuals in Lebanon, including 94 civilians, have been killed since October 8 last year. Israeli officials have reported at least 26 deaths in Israel due to the conflict, 11 of which are said to be civilians.

Part of the data for this news was obtained from the news agencies "Reuters" and "Agence France-Presse"./ Voice of America