اخبار لبنان
موقع كل يوم -صحيفة الجمهورية
نشر بتاريخ: ٢٠ أذار ٢٠٢٤
Israeli attacks continue on the volatile southern front, while presidential calm prevails following a shuttle round by ambassadors of the Quintet Committee.
Locally, the caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, affirmed from the Serail on the International Day of Francophonie that 'Lebanon has no choice but to follow the path of constructive dialogue, mutual respect, and tolerance, which represents harmony within diversity.'
In a direct response, the Lebanese Forces viewed the Free Patriotic Movement as the arsonist firefighter, accusing them of igniting fires.
Regionally, on the 165th day of the Israeli war, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Jeddah to continue discussing the war on Gaza with the Saudi leadership, as part of efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in the region. Meanwhile, the US State Department announced Blinkens upcoming visit to Israel on Friday as part of his tour.
Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Galant, heads to Washington next week on his first official visit since the outbreak of the war with Hamas, upon an invitation from US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, according to a statement reported by AFP.
Amid rising casualties, continued fighting, and destructive warfare in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced during a televised address that his countrys army is preparing to begin a ground military operation in the densely populated city of Rafah in the southern sector, but noted that it would take some time.
In a joint statement, the Israeli military and Shin Bet announced the assassination of prominent leaders in the Hamas movement in the Rafah area.
On the occasion of the Iranian New Year, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei affirmed that 'the patience of the Palestinian people, Hamas, and all factions in Lebanon and Iraq has defeated the Americans and their calculations in the region.'
In a new initiative, Saudi authorities announced a $40 million aid package to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza, following the suspension of aid by several Western countries to the agency.
Internationally, the US Treasury Department announced an expansion of sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation to include a software company and another in the social field, along with two individuals associated with them.
Russia, in turn, threatened the European Union with 'decades of pursuit' if it uses its frozen assets. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Moscow would definitely respond to what she described as 'thievery and direct theft.'
