By Burak Bir
LONDON (AA) – Britain is calling for an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon and a political plan that would allow both displaced Israeli and Lebanese to return to their homes, the UK foreign secretary said Monday, amid multiple reports suggesting an Israeli ground assault into its northern neighbor is near.
In a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the latest in the Middle East, David Lammy said they were "clear" on the need for a diplomatic solution in the region.
"The UK is calling for an immediate ceasefire and the implementation of a political plan that allows displaced Israeli and Lebanese civilians to return to their homes," Lammy wrote on X.
Since Sept. 23, Israel has launched massive airstrikes against what it calls Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, killing more than 960 people and injuring over 2,770 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Several Hezbollah leaders have been killed in the assault, including the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 41,600 people, most of them women and children, following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October.
The international community has warned that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could escalate the Gaza conflict into a wider regional war.