Mikati hopeful: South won’t escalate further

On Monday, Lebanon’s acting Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, expressed ongoing efforts to communicate with both local and international stakeholders to prevent war in Lebanon. He paid tribute to the fallen, expressing hope that the situation would not worsen.

Since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah on October 8, Lebanon has seen at least 313 fatalities, with the majority being Hezbollah militants and 53 civilians. In Israel, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of 10 soldiers and seven civilians, as per the most recent data.

The conflict has forced tens of thousands to flee their homes on both sides of the border. While the majority of strikes have been concentrated along the border areas, attacks on Hezbollah strongholds further into Lebanon have intensified concerns about the potential for a larger scale conflict.

Hezbollah has stated it will cease its hostilities against Israel only if a ceasefire is established in Gaza.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, however, has clarified that even a ceasefire in Gaza would not deter Israel’s efforts to remove Hezbollah forces from the border area, whether through military action or diplomatic means.