The German government has warned Israel against launching a large‑scale ground offensive in Lebanon. “We urge our Israeli friends strongly not to take that path” spokesman Stefan Kornelius said to the dts news agency on Monday. Doing so would worsen the already tense humanitarian situation in the region and contribute to a surge in refugees. He added that the government is in contact with Israel to convey this message.
Berlin is “extremely worried” about the situation in Lebanon. It condemned the resumption of hostilities by Hezbollah and called on the militia to cease fighting and lay down arms. In this context, Berlin welcomed efforts to restart talks between Israel and Lebanon and urged Israel to spare civilian targets and not to attack the U.N. UNIFIL mission.
According to the Israeli army (IDF), a “limited and targeted” ground offensive began on Monday morning against targets in southern Lebanon, reportedly killing several Hezbollah fighters. The operation aims to expand the “forward‑defensive zone”. It is part of a plan to create a buffer zone and keep the threat from Hezbollah away from the border. Prior to the incursion, the IDF conducted extensive air strikes and artillery fire.
The Lebanese health ministry reports that since March 2, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed 850 people and injured more than 2,100.
