Germany warns of Israeli-Lebanese war

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - Germany on Monday warned of “a real” risk of escalation in the ongoing conflict on the Israeli-Lebanese border region.

“The situation remains tense and the risk of escalation is real; we have repeatedly emphasized that regional escalation must be avoided at all costs,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer told journalists in Berlin.

The Israeli military said on Sunday that it had completed another step in preparing for a possible war along its northern front, where it has been trading fire with the Lebanese group Hezbollah for six months.

Israel has conducted strikes deep inside Lebanese territories, claiming to have targeted Hezbollah military commanders.

There has been speculations Israel’s recent tactical withdrawal from southern Gaza could set the stage for a war with Hezbollah.

Fischer “welcomed” the Israeli pullout from Khan Younis, but stressed the people of Gaza were still in dire need for more humanitarian aid.

“It is good news that people can return to Khan Younis, but at the same time it is clear that this is not the end of the war. In Khan Younis, too, the people will continue to depend on food, clean water and medical help and we therefore continue to urgently appeal to the Israeli government to allow more humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip,” he said.

According to Army Radio, there is only one brigade left in Gaza, the Nahal Brigade, which is responsible for securing the corridor established by the Israeli army to prevent Gazans from returning to the north.

Israel has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 that claimed 1,200 lives. The onslaught has caused mass destruction, displacement and shortages of necessities.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The fighting between Israel and Hezbollah is said to be the deadliest since their 2006 war.