ROME (ITALPRESS) – The Israeli government has briefed the United States on “a number of operations,” including ground operations, in Lebanon, the U.S. State Department reported. “We have been told that these are limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure near the border, but we are in ongoing conversation with them about it,” spokesman Matthew Miller said at a press conference.
The United States, he added, continues to focus on a 21-day cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah despite ongoing military activity, because ultimately the goal is to reach “a diplomatic solution to this conflict.” Miller reiterated that Israel has the “right to defend itself against Hezbollah,” including by “targeting terrorist infrastructure inside Lebanon.”
According to Israeli media outlet “Haaretz,” Israeli tank and artillery fire has been reported in southern Lebanon. Lebanese troops, again according to local media reports, have withdrawn from positions along the southern border with Israel at least five kilometers north of the border.
“We urge all Italian citizens to leave Lebanon using commercial flights, there are flights from Beirut to Milan and to Rome: it is good to leave the country, the situation is really complicated, there is fighting going on and so for maximum assurance it is good for Italians to leave. There are parts of the country that are safe, you have to evaluate the individual realities: those who are in the South and in Beirut are at risk, it is good that they leave. For the past few weeks we have reinforced the presence of Tuscania paratroopers to secure our embassy,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in a telephone link with Tg2 Post.
“The news coming from our Embassy in Tel Aviv tells us that the penetration attempts that have been made serve to test Hezbollah’s resistance and to block some initiatives that could be made by Iran-linked terrorist groups. There is a waiting phase,” Tajani added, “We continue to follow all the civilian population, we are also following minute by minute the situation at the border where there are our military, which is safe.
– photo: Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
