Lebanon's caretaker prime minister said Monday he was working to ensure his country does not enter the Hamas-Israel war as clashes along the Israel-Lebanon border escalate
"I am doing my duty to prevent Lebanon from entering the war," Najib Mikati told the French AFP news agency, referring to Israel’s ground offensive in the Gaza strip.
The Lebanese-based Hezbollah militant group and allied Palestinian factions in Lebanon have been exchanging fire with Israel almost daily since Hamas's 7 October attack on Israel, which prompted a retaliation by Israel on Gaza.
"Lebanon is in the eye of the storm," Mikati said.
"I cannot rule out an escalation because there is a race to reach a ceasefire before escalation spreads in the entire region."
The country faces the possibility of war without a leader and with lawmakers stuck in a political deadlock.
Mikati leads a caretaker government, because parliament has repeatedly failed to elect a successor to president Michel Aoun, whose mandate expired nearly a year ago.
(with AFP)
