How an EU-led operation to salvage a burning Red Sea oil tanker hopes to prevent a major environmental disaster

Analysis How an EU-led operation to salvage a burning Red Sea oil tanker hopes to prevent a major environmental disaster
The Greek-flagged oil tanker MV Sounion was struck by Houthi missiles near Yemen’s Red Sea coast on Aug. 21, before militants boarded the vessel on Aug. 29 and detonated explosives, causing fires on board. (AFP/Ansarullah Media Center)
Short Url
Updated 17 September 2024
Follow

How an EU-led operation to salvage a burning Red Sea oil tanker hopes to prevent a major environmental disaster

How an EU-led operation to salvage a burning Red Sea oil tanker hopes to prevent a major environmental disaster
  • Operation Aspides launched a critical salvage mission to prevent an oil spill that threatens to devastate the marine ecosystem
  • The Greek-flagged oil tanker, MV Sounion, was attacked by Houthi militants, raising fears of a major ecological and economic disaster

DUBAI: An EU-led operation to salvage a stricken oil tanker, which has been burning in the Red Sea for almost a month after coming under attack by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia, reached an important milestone on Monday, potentially staving off one of the worst ecological disasters in history.

The Greek-flagged oil tanker MV Sounion was attacked by Houthi militants on Aug. 21 off the coast of Hodeidah. Carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, the tanker was left severely damaged and at risk of spilling its cargo into one of the world’s most fragile marine ecosystems.

On Sept. 14, the salvage mission, led by the EU’s Operation Aspides, finally got underway after repeated delays. On Monday, it issued a statement via the social media platform X announcing the ship had been moved.

The Sounion “has been successfully towed to a safe area without any oil spill,” the EU mission said. “While private stakeholders complete the salvage operation, Aspides will continue to monitor the situation.”




On Monday, the EU’s Operation Aspides issued a statement announcing the ship had been moved. (X/@EUNAVFORASPIDES)

Until the vessel has been safely docked and unloaded, however, the environmental and commercial threat posed by a major spill remains.

The initial attack on the Sounion involved missiles launched by Houthi militants, which struck the vessel as it navigated through one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Soon after, the militants returned and detonated explosive charges, setting parts of the ship ablaze.

The attack is part of a broader Houthi campaign to disrupt global shipping as a show of solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing war in Gaza. The Houthis have targeted more than 80 vessels in the Red Sea since October 2023, killing at least four sailors.

In response to the attacks, the US and UK have mounted strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. However, these strikes have failed to deter the militia’s attacks on shipping.




A satellite image taken on August 29, 2024 and released by Maxar Technologies shows fire on the deck of the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion. (AFP/Maxar Technologies)

The Sounion attack presents a multifaceted crisis. The immediate concern is the possibility of a catastrophic oil spill, potentially four times worse than the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska, which spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil and devastated the local ecosystem.

The Red Sea’s marine life, including its renowned coral reefs, is especially vulnerable, and a spill could have lasting consequences, affecting species and habitats for many decades to come.




Oil-soaked sea otters lie dead on Green Island beach more than a week after the beginning of the1989 Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska, which spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil and devastated the local ecosystem. (AFP)

Julien Jreissati, Greenpeace’s Middle East and North Africa program director, warned that the Red Sea’s unique coral species, some of the most resilient to climate change, are under threat.

Should a spill occur, its “magnitude could be nearly impossible to contain, spreading contamination across vast areas of seawater and coastlines,” Jreissati said in a statement.

The long-term impact on marine life would be “devastating, with oil residues potentially persisting in the environment for years or even decades,” he said, adding that the “potential for a major environmental disaster is significant as the vessel could break apart at any time.”

IN NUMBERS

  • 150k Tonnes of crude oil aboard the Greek-flagged MV Sounion.
  • 80 Vessels targeted by the Houthi militia since Oct. 7, 2023.

The economic and humanitarian impact would be equally severe. The Red Sea is not only home to diverse marine life but is also a vital global shipping route, connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa. A major oil spill would disrupt this passage, affecting global trade.

Furthermore, a spill could contaminate desalination plants that supply fresh water to millions in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Eritrea.

The Red Sea’s closed nature, bordered by the Suez Canal to the north and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait to the south, means that any contamination could persist in the water for an extended period.

Efforts to salvage the Sounion have been fraught with complications. The EU’s Aspides naval mission, established in February to protect merchant vessels in the region, is leading the rescue operation, working closely with private sector actors.

Early in the operation, the crew of 23 Filipinos and two Russians, along with four private security personnel, were rescued by a French vessel and taken to Djibouti.




Eighty vessels have been targeted by the Houthi militia since Oct. 7, 2023. (AFP)

Aspides initially attempted to tow the vessel earlier in September, but the mission was paused due to unsafe conditions and concerns about further damage to the tanker. It was not until mid-September that salvage crews were able to secure a connection to tow the vessel.

The towing process has been dangerous. The tanker, still smoldering and billowing smoke, had to be moved at a “painfully slow” pace to a safe location in the northern Red Sea.

Greek news agencies reported over the weekend that the rescue vessel, Aigaion Pelagos, was towing the Sounion, escorted by the rescue tug Panormitis and several frigates equipped with firefighting and oil spill recovery capabilities.

According to the Greek state news agency ANA-MPA, “three frigates, helicopters and a special forces unit” were involved in the salvage operation.




An image obtained from the US Central Command on March 6, 2024 shows a Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned bulk carrier after it was hit by anti-ship ballistic missile launched by the Houthis. (AFP)

“Despite challenging conditions, with temperatures reaching up to 400 degrees Celsius due to the fire, the specialized salvage team successfully secured the tanker to the Aigaion Pelagos,” ANA-MPA reported.

The destination of the vessel remains undisclosed, and both ships’ radars have been turned off for safety reasons.

The complexity of the operation reflects the broader challenges faced by the international community in addressing the fallout from Houthi attacks.

While the US Navy has offered assistance, the operation is currently being managed by private entities, with no direct involvement from American forces.




A handout picture by Yemen’s Houthi Ansarullah Media Center shows what they say is their targeting of Chios Lion, a Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker, by unmanned surface vessels in the Red Sea on July 15, 2024. (AFP)

Sabrina Singh, the deputy spokesperson for the US Department of Defense, confirmed earlier this month that the US Navy is “standing by” but has not been called into action.

The Houthi militia has justified its attacks on international shipping as part of its resistance to Israeli actions in Gaza, claiming that the Sounion belongs to a company with alleged ties to Israel.

However, the militia has also attacked multiple vessels with no ties to Israel.

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree vowed further attacks as the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack that triggered the Gaza war approaches, signaling that the threat to Red Sea shipping is far from over.




Oil from FSO Safer (L) is transferred to a UN vessel on July 25, 2023. (AFP)

The Sounion crisis echoes the near catastrophe of the FSO Safer, another oil tanker that posed an enormous environmental threat in the Red Sea. The decaying vessel was anchored off the coast of Yemen for years with more than 1 million barrels of oil on board.

After months of international negotiations and funding efforts, the Safer was finally unloaded in 2023 under a UN-led effort, narrowly avoiding what could have been one of the worst oil spills in history.

The Safer’s precarious condition and the drawn-out efforts to secure it illustrated the difficulty of managing such crises in conflict zones.

 


Lebanon’s prime minister calls for ceasefire with Israel

Lebanon’s prime minister calls for ceasefire with Israel
Updated 19 sec ago
Follow

Lebanon’s prime minister calls for ceasefire with Israel

Lebanon’s prime minister calls for ceasefire with Israel
  • France, the UAE begin relief efforts
  • Hezbollah’s deputy chief vows to keep fighting

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for a ceasefire on Monday in the fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah during a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Beirut.

According to a statement from his office, Mikati said: “The key to the solution is to put an end to the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and to revive the appeal launched by the United States and France … in favor of a ceasefire.”

As Israel deploys troops in preparation for a potential ground incursion into Lebanon, and amid the ongoing displacement in the south, Bekaa and Beirut’s southern suburbs, Barrot held discussions in Beirut with Lebanese officials, politicians, religious leaders, and the army.

In a statement issued by the French Embassy, Barrot affirmed that “in the face of the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, France stands alongside Lebanon and remains committed to protecting civilians, and the security of its citizens.”

Barrot emphasized “France’s support for Lebanon and its people,” adding that “his country is keen on supporting the Lebanese army and helping it during these critical times.”

The plane carrying the French official to Beirut had brought “12 tonnes of medicines and medical supplies in response to emergencies and general medical needs, particularly pediatric care.”

The embassy said that the relief operation was carried out in cooperation with the EU.

During his meeting with Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, Barrot focused on the “importance of electing a president as a foundation and priority, while emphasizing the need for stopping the war.”

Walid Ghayyad, the media official at the patriarchate, said that Barrot’s visit was “one of solidarity and reconnaissance, aimed at pushing forward key issues.”

Mikati reiterated during his meeting with Barrot that “the gateway to a solution is stopping the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and returning to the call made by the US and France, with the support of the EU and Arab and foreign countries, for a ceasefire.”

He stressed that “the priority is the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.”

He added: “Once the ceasefire is in effect, we are ready to send the army to the area south of the Litani River to fully carry out its duties in coordination with the international peacekeeping forces in the south.”

Barrot spoke of the “priority of electing a president and working to stop the armed confrontations.”

Barrot announced during his meeting with Health Minister Firass Abiad “the launch of emergency humanitarian aid worth €10 million to support the work of humanitarian organizations on the ground, most notably the Lebanese Red Cross.”

The diplomatic meetings went ahead as the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan ordered urgent relief aid to the Lebanese people, valued at $100 million, the Emirates News Agency reported.

In the first appearance of a Hezbollah official since the assassination of Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah last Friday, Sheikh Naim Qassem, the group’s deputy secretary-general, said in a televised speech: “We will choose a new secretary-general at the earliest opportunity and we will fill leadership positions.

“The brothers continue their work according to the organized structure, and work with alternative plans for individuals and leaders.

“In Hezbollah’s structure there are deputies for the leaders and backup alternatives ready if a leader in any position is incapacitated.”

Qassem added: “Despite losing several leaders, the attacks on civilians, and the great sacrifices, we will not budge an inch from our positions.

“The Islamic resistance will continue to confront the Israeli enemy in support of Gaza and Palestine and defense of Lebanon and its people.”

Qassem stressed that “Hezbollah remains committed to its struggle, and we are fully prepared for a ground engagement and to enter this battle, and we will emerge victorious from it.”

His defiant stance came as Israel killed the leader of Hamas in Lebanon, Fateh Sherif Abu Al-Amin, inside the El Buss camp in the city of Tyre.

His wife, Umayya Ibrahim Abdel Hamid, his son Amin and his daughter Wafaa were also killed in the airstrike that targeted his residence.

Hamas said Abu Al-Amin was “a member of the Hamas leadership abroad.”

An attack on Palestinian leaders in Lebanon occurred at dawn when an Israeli drone targeted a residential apartment in the Cola area of central Beirut, which is close to the Palestinian camps in the city.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said that three of its members were killed in the attack, which claimed four lives in total and injured four others, according to the Ministry of Health.

The killing of dozens of civilians has also continued in the face of Israeli airstrikes targeting residential buildings.

Additionally, bombing took place targeting Hezbollah’s supply routes in the high Lebanese mountains, particularly those connecting the Bekaa to other regions. The road to Ainata-Al Ariz was also bombed for the first time.

Five members of the Civil Defense in the Islamic Health Organization, affiliated with Hezbollah, were killed early on Monday in an airstrike targeting their facilities in the town of Sohmor in the Western Bekaa region.

The death toll from an airstrike on a residential building in the town of Ain Al-Dalab, east of the city of Sidon, has risen to 45 with 70 others reported injured, according to the Ministry of Health.

Three people were killed in another raid on Monday on the outskirts of Bnaafoul in the Sidon district.

Further raids on towns in Tyre district resulted in one death and several injuries.

In the Hermel area of the Bekaa two missiles struck residential buildings, resulting in the deaths of 12 people and 20 members of the Hassan Al-Jawhari family receiving injuries.

The Israeli army also carried out a raid on the Syrian Jdeidet Yabous border crossing with Lebanon, targeting a group transporting Hezbollah members across the border, which led to the killing of the group’s transportation official and his driver.

In retaliation, Hezbollah said it bombed the Naoura base with a salvo of Fadi-2 missiles.

 


UN peacekeepers in Lebanon ‘not able’ to patrol: UN spokesman

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon ‘not able’ to patrol: UN spokesman
Updated 5 min 1 sec ago
Follow

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon ‘not able’ to patrol: UN spokesman

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon ‘not able’ to patrol: UN spokesman
  • Stephane Dujarric: ‘Given the intensity of the rockets going back and forth, they are not able to do patrolling’
  • Dujarric: ‘We have a contingency plan and we’re looking at the situation hour by hour’

UNITED NATIONS, UNITED STATES: United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon have been unable to conduct patrols because of the intensity of Israeli strikes and Hezbollah’s rockets targeting Israel, a UN spokesman said Monday.
With more than 10,000 personnel, the peacekeeping force has been stationed in Lebanon since 1978, with its role strengthened after a 33-day conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006.
“Our UNIFIL Blue Helmets remain in position in the mission’s area of responsibility, while the intensity of fighting is preventing their movements and ability to undertake their mandated tasks,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told a media briefing.
“Given the intensity of the rockets going back and forth, they are not able to do patrolling,” he added.
Even before the dramatic escalation in fighting seen in recent weeks, several Blue Helmets had been wounded in the crossfire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement.
The peacekeepers mission, under Security Council Resolution 1701, is to “control the area” and help the Lebanese government and armed forces establish control south of the Litani River, which is around 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border with Israel.
The resolution ended a war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.
It called for all armed personnel to pull back north of the Litani, except for Lebanese state security forces and United Nations peacekeepers.
While Hezbollah has not had a visible military presence in the border area since then, the group still holds sway over large parts of the south.
Dujarric said the peacekeepers “are able to observe what they can from where they are but they are not doing any road patrols,” adding that some civilian staff “have been moved north” as a precaution.
“We have a contingency plan and we’re looking at the situation hour by hour,” he added.


Syria urges UN to stop Israeli aggression against neighbors

Syria urges UN to stop Israeli aggression against neighbors
Updated 30 September 2024
Follow

Syria urges UN to stop Israeli aggression against neighbors

Syria urges UN to stop Israeli aggression against neighbors
  • Foreign Minister Bassam Al-Sabbagh blames US for allowing Israel to operate with impunity
  • Demands return of occupied Golan Heights, warns states to stop interfering in his country’s domestic affairs

LONDON: Syria’s foreign minister on Monday urged the world to do more to end Israeli aggression towards its neighbors, blaming the US for hindering international peace and security.

Bassam Al-Sabbagh made the comments to the UN General Assembly in a wide-ranging address in which he also defended his government’s record during Syria’s civil war, hit out at interference in its domestic affairs by foreign states, and demanded the return of Syrian territory occupied by Israel.

“For more than a decade, Syria has experienced unparalleled suffering,” he said. “It fell victim to a fierce terrorist war, direct attacks on its territories that continue to this day, a multifaceted and stifling economic blockade, and … unprecedented political and media incitement campaigns. 

“Billions of dollars were spent to erode the development progress that Syria has worked over decades to achieve.

“Billions more were spent to spread chaos and undermine security and stability, and to force millions of Syrians to leave their homes only to become internally displaced or refugees in other countries.

“Despite everything, we’ve remained faithful to our strong beliefs, our firm positions and to the choices we made as a nation.

“Syria never hesitated to protect and defend its people, and never faltered in its war on terrorism.”

He said the way his government was treated on the international stage “revealed the true intentions of the collective West, which completely contradict the principles and purposes that form the pillars and foundation and function of (the UN).”

Al-Sabbagh was unequivocal in his condemnation of Israel’s “expansionist and racist occupation and ongoing aggression,” blaming the US for preventing the UN Security Council “from fulfilling its responsibility to confront threats to international peace and security.”

He told the UNGA: “The ongoing Israeli occupation of Arab territory since 1967, including the Syrian Arab Golan (Heights) and the genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity it commits, are a glaring example of the failure of this organization.”

Al-Sabbagh added: “Since Oct. 7, 2023, the Israeli occupation has continued to commit bloody and terrorist crimes, adding another chapter to its seven decade-long criminal record over the past months.

“The occupying forces and settler gangs have been carrying out savage aggression on the Palestinian people and committing a genocide before the eyes of the whole world, which has claimed the lives of more than 42,000 Palestinians, most of whom are children and women.

“The Syrian Arab Republic strongly condemns the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, and renews its solidarity with a legitimate struggle to liberate their occupied land and establish an independent state on their entire national territory with Jerusalem as its capital, while ensuring the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions.

“The Israeli occupying forces … have chosen to drag the region into a serious escalation while benefiting from the immunity, impunity and unlimited support provided by certain countries, in particular the US.

“In a clear case of hypocrisy and double standards, Israeli forces have scaled up their attacks on countries in the region, including my country, Syria, targeting vital civilian facilities, residential buildings and even diplomatic premises, resulting in the death of dozens of civilians, significant material damage and hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syrians.”

Al-Sabbagh also touched upon developments in Lebanon, saying: “Two weeks ago, the Israeli occupation authorities committed an unprecedented crime against Lebanese by using the means of communication as a tool to kill unarmed civilians in a collective manner. 

“A few days ago, the Israeli occupation authorities targeted the southern suburb of Beirut with a treacherous and cowardly (act of) aggression, destroying an entire residential block using tons of explosives … to assassinate Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayed Hassan Nasrallah.”

Al-Sabbagh added: “This large-scale Israeli aggression … is pushing the region to the brink of a dangerous escalation and confrontation whose consequences can’t be predicted, and causing disastrous effects on peace and security, not only in our region but also beyond it. 

“The Syrian Arab Republic calls on all member states of the UN to work towards ending the Israeli aggression against Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, and hold the occupation authorities accountable for their crimes, as well as prevent impunity.

“The Syrian Republic reiterates that the Golan is an occupied Syrian territory and that its inhabitants are Syrian Arab citizens who are, and will always be, an integral part of the people of Syria.”

Al-Sabbagh condemned foreign interference in Syria, demanding that other states take steps to repatriate their citizens currently imprisoned in the country for affiliation with terrorist organizations.

“The crimes and attacks of the Israeli occupying forces against Syria can’t be seen in separation from the subversive role played by certain Western countries, especially the US,” he said. 

“These countries have continued to violate Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity by illegally deploying their military forces inside Syria’s territory, allowing their officials to sneak into Syria and supporting separatist militia and terrorist groups.

“These countries have also worked to exacerbate the humanitarian situation of the Syrian people by depriving them of the benefit of their resources as a result of their systematic looting of Syria’s national riches and by imposing inhumane, unilateral coercive measures.”

He added: “Syria is healing from the wounds of what it has been exposed and subjected to — it looks to the future with a sense of hope and optimism.

“However, the success of its efforts necessarily requires the collective West to stop politicizing humanitarian work and linking it to political conditionality.

“Donors need to fulfill their pledges in humanitarian funding and provide sustainable solutions for livelihoods and supporting resilience.”

Al-Sabbagh concluded: “My country reiterates its call for the immediate, full and unconditional lifting of unilateral coercive measures as they amount to collective punishment … and the flagrant violation of the UN Charter.”


Yemeni government condemns Israeli airstrikes on Hodeidah

A view of the wreckage of a power station destroyed by Israeli air strikes in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, in Hodeidah, Yemen.
A view of the wreckage of a power station destroyed by Israeli air strikes in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, in Hodeidah, Yemen.
Updated 30 September 2024
Follow

Yemeni government condemns Israeli airstrikes on Hodeidah

A view of the wreckage of a power station destroyed by Israeli air strikes in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, in Hodeidah, Yemen.
  • Warns the ‘Iranian regime, its agent militias’ and Israel not to use Yemen as a battleground

AL-MUKALLA: Yemen’s internationally recognized government on Monday condemned Israeli airstrikes on the Houthi-held west-coast city of Hodeidah, and warned Israel and Iran not to use the country as a battleground.

It said the attack on Sunday was a violation of Yemen’s territorial sovereignty, as well as international norms and charters, and made the already dire humanitarian situation in the country even worse.

The Yemeni government “warns the Iranian regime, its agent militias and the Zionist entity that they risk escalating the situation and turning the region into a staging ground for their absurd wars and destructive projects,” the official Yemeni state news agency SABA reported.

The strikes caused large explosions and smoke hung over the area in the aftermath. The Houthi Ministry of Health said that four people were killed and 40 wounded, many of whom were in critical condition.

The attack came a day after the Israeli military said it shot down a ballistic missile outside Israel’s borders that had been launched by the Houthi militia in Yemen.

The Houthis said they had targeted Ben Gurion International Airport with the missile as part of their ongoing campaign, in support of the Palestinian people, to put pressure on Israel to end its war in Gaza. This campaign has also included months of attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and other waters off the coast of Yemen.

The attack on Sunday was the second time Israeli forces have targeted Hodeidah. The first was on July 20, when power plants and port facilities, including one with an oil terminal, were hit in response to a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv in which 10 Israelis were killed or injured.


Israel defense minister says ground troops could join Hezbollah fight

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday said ground forces could be used against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. (AFP)
Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday said ground forces could be used against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. (AFP)
Updated 30 September 2024
Follow

Israel defense minister says ground troops could join Hezbollah fight

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday said ground forces could be used against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. (AFP)
  • “We will use all the means that may be required — your forces, other forces, from the air, from the sea, and on land,” Gallant said
  • “The elimination of Nasrallah is an important step, but it is not the final one,” he said

JERUSALEM: Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday said ground forces could be used against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, adding military operations will go on despite the killing of the group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Gallant made the comments while speaking to Israeli troops deployed to the northern border where cross-border fire with Hezbollah continued for nearly a year but escalated this month.
“We will use all the means that may be required — your forces, other forces, from the air, from the sea, and on land,” Gallant said.
“The elimination of Nasrallah is an important step, but it is not the final one.”
Israel killed Nasrallah on Friday in an air strike on the Iran-backed group’s southern Beirut stronghold.
Israel had intensified air raids against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon from September 23, when Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 558 people were killed, in the deadliest day of violence since Lebanon’s 1975-90 civil war.
Israeli officials have been hinting at a potential ground invasion into Lebanon, following attacks which decimated Hezbollah’s leadership and communications this month.
After Hamas Palestinian militants’ unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel that triggered war in Gaza, Hezbollah began firing at Israeli military positions and communities along the border, in what it called “support” for Hamas.
Fighting had been relatively contained until the current escalation.
Tens of thousands of Israeli residents were evacuated from their country’s northern border area nearly a year ago.
“Our goal is to ensure the (safe) return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes. We are prepared to make every effort necessary to accomplish this mission,” said Gallant.
Israel said earlier this month that it was shifting its focus from Gaza to securing the northern border with Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Qassem said Monday the movement was ready to face any Israeli ground operation, and warned that the battle could last a long time.