Mikati told the army officers: Lebanon has the right to defend its land in the midst of Israel's systematic escalation.
Beirut: Lebanon's interim prime minister Najib Mikati said on Friday that Lebanon is determined to defend its land and sovereignty.
“We will not hesitate to do this, regardless of the sacrifices,” he said.
Mikati described the developments in the region as “worrying”, indicating an increased risk level.
“There is nothing to show that Israel's arrogance will stop,” he said.
Mikati met with senior officers of the Lebanese army command and warned that “the developments in the region are worrying”.
He stressed that the army “is a definite guarantee for the unity of Lebanon, the territory, the people and the institutions of Lebanon, and the unity around the institution of the army is a national duty for everyone.”
Mikati said: In response to Israel's continuous and severe escalation of tensions, we emphasize our right to defend our land, sovereignty and dignity using all available means.
He stated that he has informed friendly and brotherly countries that we advocate peace and not war.
We seek permanent stability through Israel's commitment to implement UN Resolution 1701 in all its provisions. “No Israeli aggression will deter us from it.”
Mikati stressed the importance of deploying the army in cooperation with the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon to prevent violations of “our internationally recognized borders”. “This is necessary to ensure stability and security for the people of the south.”
He added: Our right to use the resources in our waters is absolute and non-negotiable.
Mikati also met with the ambassadors of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (America, France, England, China and Russia) and the representatives of the non-permanent member states present in Lebanon (Algeria, Japan, Switzerland, … and South Korea).
The meeting came as clashes between Israel and Hezbollah reached a climax on Tuesday with the assassination of senior Hezbollah leader Fouad Shakar in the heart of Beirut's southern suburbs.
Mikati's media office announced that the gathered ambassadors emphasized Lebanon's commitment to implementing UN resolutions, especially Resolution 1701, as the main priority in the region.
Lebanon has also complained to the UN Security Council over Israel's encroachment on the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The statement said that Israel's dangerous escalation has affected a densely populated residential area in violation of international law and the UN Charter.
In the south of the city of Shama, a funeral ceremony was held for a Syrian mother and her three children – Fatima al-Raja Al-Hajj and her sons Suleiman, Muhammad and Ahmed Al-Hajj – who were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Home Thursday night
The number of Syrian civilians killed in the clashes in the south since October 8 has increased to 18.
This air attack was carried out at the same time as the funeral ceremony of Shakar was held by Hezbollah in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah, promised to respond to Shakar's assassination on Thursday evening at Shakar's funeral.
He said that Israel “must wait for Sharif's revenge” and “we have entered a new phase in all the support fronts (Hamas in the Gaza Strip).
He said: Israel has crossed red lines and has no idea of the type of aggression it has committed.
On Friday, the Zionist regime's army launched airstrikes and targeted the border towns including Rab Al-Harhain, Dhahira, and Belida, as well as the suburbs of Naqourah and Tayir al-Ghar.
Hezbollah announced a series of objectives that were within the framework of the rules of engagement.
The deployment of Israeli soldiers in the site of Zaira, the site of Al-Samqa in the hills of Kafar Choubah in Lebanon and the site of Beyad Belida were targeted with cannonballs.
This party launched dozens of Katyusha rockets into the town of Matzova following Israel's attack on Shama.
