Lebanese President Joseph Aoun today appealed to the international community for support in defending the country's sovereignty after Israel carried out an airstrike in the southern part of the capital Beirut, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reports.
Aoun condemned the attack, describing it as a “dangerous signal“ of deliberate actions against Lebanon, Reuters reported.
Escalation of Tensions
According to Lebanese health authorities, at least three people were killed and seven were injured in today's attack. The Israeli military said the target of the attack was a member of "Hezbollah", which it said had been supporting militants from the radical Palestinian group "Hamas".
In response to the attack, Aoun stressed that the growing Israeli "aggression" required Lebanon to step up its diplomatic efforts and mobilize its international allies to defend the country's territorial integrity.
Continued instability in the region
This is the second Israeli strike on Beirut in three days, following the first attack carried out after the truce between Israel and "Hezbollah" on November 27, Reuters notes.
So far "Hezbollah" has not confirmed the identity of the target of today's attack, but tensions between Israel and the Lebanese group remain high, with the risk of further escalation in the region.