A cease-fire deal with Hamas in Gaza could lead to “long-term stability” between Israel and Hezbollah militants operating in Lebanon, the nation’s prime minister Najib Mikati said.
Mikati told Reuters that he was confident that the Iran-backed terror group would halt its daily missile attacks targeting northern Israel if the fighting in Gaza came to an end.
“If we are able to reach a cessation of military operations in Gaza, then I believe that we will have ahead of us weeks packed with negotiations, so that we can reach what I have always called long-term stability in the south,” he said.
It remains unclear, however, if the new 40-day cease-fire deal proposed by US, Qatari, and Egyptian negotiators will be ratified by Israel and Hamas any time soon.
Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in cross-border bombardments for nearly five months as the terrorist group vowed to keep attacking the Jewish State in solidarity with Hamas following the Oct. 7 massacre.
Since the war began, Israel has killed some 200 Hezbollah fighters in airstrikes in Lebanon, including high-ranking officials, along with an estimated 50 civilians.
Hezbollah missile attacks launched over the border into Israel have killed a dozen IDF soldiers and five civilians.
About 100,000 residents from both nations have been displaced over the conflict, according to Israeli and Lebanese officials.
Mikati suggested that an end to the daily hostilities would come only when the Jewish State ends its airstrike campaign.
“I am certain that the moment that Israel stops its violations against Lebanon, I am convinced that Hezbollah will not violate – or will not respond to something that did not happen,” he said.
While the prime minister declined to specify what measure he believed Hezbollah was willing to take to maintain peace, the terror group has stated that it will stop attacking Israel if a cease-fire in Gaza is secured.
“When the (Israeli) occupation halts its aggression on Gaza, this front stops, because it is a supportive front,” senior Hezbollah politician Hassan Fadlallah said earlier this week.
Mikati said that if Israel and Hezbollah end the violence, Lebanon would be ready to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which would enforce Hezbollah’s presence along the border and bolster the Lebanese army to keep the peace in check.
Lebanon’s own forces had been impacted by a severe economic meltdown that hit the nation five years ago.
The US and its allies have pushed for a cease-fire in Lebanon, warning that a two-front conflict along Israel’s north and south borders could result in all-out war breaking out across the region with Iran-back militant groups.
With Post wires