Lebanon: Australia, US and allies call for ‘immediate 21-day ceasefire’ as Israel prepares for ground invasion

Australia along with 11 other countries have signed a joint statement calling for an immediate 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

“We call for an immediate 21 day ceasefire across the Lebanon-Israel border to provide space for diplomacy towards the conclusion of a diplomatic settlement,” the statement said.

“The situation between Lebanon and Israel since October 8th, 2023 is intolerable and presents an unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation.

“This is in nobody’s interest, neither of the people of Israel nor of the people of Lebanon.

“We call on all parties, including the Governments of Israel and Lebanon, to endorse the temporary ceasefire immediately consistent with UNSCR 1701 during this period, and to give a real chance to a diplomatic settlement.”

Other countries included The United States of America, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Qatar.

The Middle East is on the precipice of all-out war as Hezbollah rockets strike Tel Aviv, Israeli missiles decimate Lebanon and troops prepare for a ground invasion in an attempt to destroy Hezbollah.

The Israeli Defence Force is claiming its warplanes attacked 280 targets in Lebanon.

The strikes reportedly killed 51 people and injured 220 others, the Lebanese health minister said.

Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defence Forces Herzi Halevi told troops: “You hear the jets overhead; we have been striking all day. This is both to prepare the ground for your possible entry and to continue degrading Hezbollah.

“Today, Hezbollah expanded its range of fire, and later today, they will receive a very strong response. Prepare yourselves.

“Today, we will continue, we are not stopping. We keep striking and hitting them everywhere.

“The goal is very clear—to safely return the residents of the north.”

Iran on Thursday warned of ‘catastrophic consequences’ if Israel invaded Lebanon.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed the country had held back on retaliating against Israel in coming weeks, but warned that could easily change.

“The region is on the brink of a full-scale catastrophe. If unchecked, the world will face catastrophic consequences,” he said.

He added Iran would “stand with the people of Lebanon with all means”.

Israel’s latest action came after Hezbollah rockets struck Tel Aviv with ballistic missiles.

Hezbollah claimed to have targeted the Mossad headquarters - the first time in nearly a year of warfare that Tel Aviv, in central Israel, has been so threatened.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the BBC that the situation is now escalating ‘hour-on-hour’.

On Wednesday, UK officials sent nearly 700 troops to nearby Cyrpus as the country prepared for a potential ‘Dunkirk style’ rescue operation of stranded Britons.

Foreign citizens have been urged to leave Lebanon for months due to the increased risk of instability and the potential sudden closure of Beirut airport.

As of Thursday morning, most flights from Lebanon’s major international airport have been cancelled.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the most recent attacks as “blows (Lebanon) never imagined”.

In a video message, Mr Netanyhu said he would not go into detail but the military was preparing to “return our residents in the north safely to their homes”.

Speaking on The View in the US, President Joe Biden admitted “an all-out war is possible”.

“What I think is, also, the opportunity is still in play to have a settlement that could fundamentally change the whole region.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said his country and its allies were working tirelessly to avoid a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah.

“Risk of escalation in the region is acute ... The best answer is diplomacy, and our coordinated efforts are vital to preventing further escalation,” Blinken said at a meeting with Gulf Arab state officials and ministers in New York.

Australia has ground and air military assets on standby in the Middle East, ready for any potential emergency evacuation efforts out of Lebanon, as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate.

A day after Foreign Minister Penny Wong conceded the number of Australians still in Lebanon was “beyond (the) capacity” of Government assistance and increased her warning for people to leave, The Nightly understands the Australian Defence Force has contingency plans ready to roll out should the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade give the orders.

- With Reuters