Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Friday called on the international community to pressure Israel to stop its “aggression” against Lebanon, according to a statement by the Lebanese Council of Ministers.
Mikati made the appeal when meeting with visiting German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
During the meeting, the prime minister also called for stepping up international efforts to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza, noting that the cabinet is exerting efforts to restore calm in southern Lebanon, where armed clashes between the Shiite militant group Hezbollah and Israel have intensified following the conflict in Gaza.
Baerbock, for her part, called on Lebanese authorities to “shield the country from a war.”
Since a bloody conflict erupted between Israel and Gaza-ruling Hamas on Oct. 7, the Lebanese-Israeli border has also seen increasing tensions as Hezbollah, in support of Hamas, engaged in armed conflicts with Israeli forces for more than 10 days.
