what to remember from Tuesday, October 8

This day was notably marked by the declarations of Benjamin Netanyahu, who threatened Lebanon with “destructions like in Gaza”. A “provocation”, according to France.

Tensions in the Middle East continue. The day of Tuesday October 8 was notably marked by new declarations from Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli Prime Minister called on the Lebanese to “save” their country by liberating it “from Hezbollah”otherwise threatening Lebanon with the same fate as the Gaza Strip. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, denounced a “provocation”. The day was also marked by exchanges of fire and bombings between Hezbollah and Israel. Here’s what to remember from this day.

Benjamin Netanyahu threatens Lebanon with “destructions like in Gaza”, Paris denounces a “provocation”

“You have an opportunity to save Lebanon before it sinks into the abyss of a long war that will cause destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza,” declared the Prime Minister in a video in English for the attention of the Lebanese. He called them thus has “save” their country by liberating it “from Hezbollah”. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, denounced a “provocation”.

“If this provocation were followed through, it would drag Lebanon, a country friendly to France which is already so fragile, into chaos. And this would pose even greater security problems for Israel than those which prevailed before the military operations in Lebanon. “, warned the head of French diplomacy.

Hezbollah threatens to intensify its strikes if Israel continues bombing Lebanon

Hezbollah has threatened to intensify its strikes on Israel, and in particular on Haifa, the large northern city, if the Jewish state continues to bomb Lebanon. In a press release, the pro-Iranian movement explains that “Haifa and other places will be targeted by [ses] rockets, as are Kyriat Shmona and Metoula”two locations regularly targeted in northern Israel along the border with Lebanon.

The Israeli army announced that it had “dismantled” a tunnel dug by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon over a length of ten meters inside Israeli territory. According to Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the Israeli army during a televised address, the underground route went from the area of ​​the Lebanese locality of Marouahine to the Israeli village of Zarit. The Israeli army also claimed that around 85 projectiles were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel.

Lebanon and Syria accuse Israel strikes in Beirut and Damascus

The Lebanese National News Agency (Ani) reported a series of strikes causing “massive destruction” on the southern suburbs of Beirut, a stronghold of Hezbollah, after an evacuation order from the Israeli army. “Four buildings collapsed in the Bourj al-Barajneh neighborhood after one of the Israeli strikes”according to Ani. The southern suburbs of Beirut have been shelled for more than two weeks by the Israeli army, which says it is targeting pro-Iranian Hezbollah positions.

The Syrian Defense Ministry reported at least seven civilians killed in an Israeli strike in Damascus on a building which, according to a London-based NGO, was frequented by Iranian Revolutionary Guards and members of Hezbollah.

France and Qatar join forces for an “airlift” in Lebanon

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, in a press release, that “more than 27 tons of medicines, emergency medical equipment, and other essential goods (blankets, hygiene kits) were transported to Beirut by a plane from the French Ministry of the Armed Forces and a plane from the Qatari Ministry of Defense. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also explained that France had repatriated “pnearly 50 of our compatriots in a vulnerable situation (…) using the return of the emergency humanitarian aid flight that arrived in Lebanon today.”