‘Do what’s necessary’: International officials react to Israel’s limited ground operation in Lebanon
After the IDF announced in the early hours of Tuesday morning that it had begun conducting a limited ground operation in Lebanon, international figures were divided in calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, with many expressing support for the operations.
Hezbollah began firing rockets toward Israel a day after Hamas’s attacks on southern Israel on October 7. The terror group’s attacks saw tens of thousands of civilians evacuated and a number killed in rocket and drone attacks – including 12 Druze children killed in an attack on Majdal Shams.
Democratic Senator John Fetterman wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “I fully support Israel’s choice to do what’s necessary to neutralize Hezbollah.”
I fully support Israel’s choice to do what’s necessary to neutralize Hezbollah. pic.twitter.com/RBmGTz4xPD
— Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) October 1, 2024
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told press on Tuesday morning, “I want to make a few points clear. Number one, we support Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism, and that includes by bringing brutal terrorists such as Hassan Nasrallah to justice. At the same time, we ultimately want to see a diplomatic resolution to conflict in the Middle East that provides long-term security to – for the people of Israel, the people of Lebanon, and the Palestinian people…”
Miller later added, “Israel has a right to defend itself against Hezbollah. If you look at how this conflict across Israel’s northern border started, it was Hezbollah that started launching attacks on Israel on October 8th. And those attacks continued and have continued and are continuing. If you look at what the acting leader of Hezbollah said just today, it’s that their attacks on Israel will continue. So Israel has a right to defend itself against those attacks. That includes in targeting terrorist infrastructure inside Lebanon.”
While Miller asserted that the US maintained its position for supporting a ceasefire, he clarified to press that “A ceasefire is not one side in a conflict unilaterally putting down its arms and stopping the conflict. It is an agreement for both sides to stop the conflict.”
Miller stressed to journalists that as Hezbollah had made it clear it intended to continue attacking Israel’s operation is legitimated by its right to defend itself and that the assassination of Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was “unalloyed good for the region and the world…”
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, after speaking with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, confirmed “We agreed on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border to ensure that Lebanese Hezbollah cannot conduct October 7-style attacks on Israel’s northern communities.”
Austin continued to state that the US would continue to seek a diplomatic solution to the conflict and added that Iran would face “serious consequences” should Tehran attack Israel for the operations.
I spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant today to discuss security developments and Israeli operations. I made it clear that the United States supports Israel’s right to defend itself. We agreed on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border…
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) October 1, 2024
Calls for a ceasefire
British foreign minister David Lammy repeated calls for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah ahead of the IDF’s official announcement after discussing the matter with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the phone on Monday.
“We’ve both seen the reports in the media about a next phase for Israel in Lebanon,” Lammy told Sky News, amid growing indications that Israel was on the verge of sending ground troops into Lebanon.
“We both agreed the position that we had at the UN last week that the best way forward is an immediate ceasefire and to get back to a political solution.”
Earlier in the day, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged “all parties to show restraint.”
REUTERS contributed to this report.
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