Most members of the UN Security Council on Monday condemned Israel’s expanding military operations in Lebanon, while the US avoided criticizing Tel Aviv and instead blamed Hezbollah and Iran.

France’s UN envoy Jerome Bonnafont said the emergency session was requested “in response to the major escalation currently underway, and the significant expansion of Israeli military operations in Lebanon, despite the ceasefire that entered into force on the 17th of April under the auspices of the United States,” News.Az reports, citing Anadolu.

Bonnafont criticized Israel’s actions and warned that a renewed occupation would worsen instability in the region.

“Far from bringing security to Israel and its citizens, a new occupation risks only fueling instability, because every village bombed and destroyed, every civilian killed strengthens Hezbollah and weakens the Lebanese executive,” he said.

He also stressed that “no security consideration can justify a permanent infringement upon the sovereignty of a state.”

Russia’s UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia compared Israel’s military actions in Lebanon to developments in Gaza, saying Lebanon was witnessing “an almost identical replay of the scenario of clearing the Gaza Strip with the establishment of large-scale occupation control and the forced displacement of the local population.”

Nebenzia called for the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces, warning that “it will be impossible to achieve a genuine ceasefire” without it. He also linked the crisis in Lebanon to wider regional tensions, saying “the deterioration of the situation in Lebanon was a direct result of the unjustified aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran.”

China’s UN envoy Fu Cong said Israel had “crossed the Litani River and occupied Balfour Castle,” describing it as “Israel’s deepest military incursion in Lebanon in more than 20 years.” He added that Israel’s plans to expand ground operations further were “deeply concerning to the international community.”

The United Kingdom’s Charge d’Affaires James Kariuki condemned what he described as “reckless and disproportionate escalation of Israeli military action” that had “exacerbated an already devastating environment for Lebanese civilians.” At the same time, he said US-mediated negotiations remained “the only viable path towards a lasting political settlement and the disarmament of Hezbollah.”

US envoy Mike Waltz presented a sharply different position, praising President Donald Trump’s leadership and placing responsibility solely on Hezbollah and Iran, without mentioning Israeli violations.

“Both de-escalation and peace will come quickly if Hezbollah immediately ceases its attacks, as apparently it's promised, and the government of Lebanon asserts its full sovereignty, rebuilds, and brings its people home,” Waltz said.

He added that Washington supports Lebanon’s government in efforts to “free their country from a terrorist organization that answers to Tehran,” and outlined what he described as a path to peace: “Hezbollah stops attacking Israel, the Lebanese armed forces and the legitimate government of Lebanon assert control over Lebanese territory, and Iran stops using Lebanon as a forward operating base.”

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev