Canada strongly condemns Israeli plans in southern Lebanon

The warning came after Israeli officials said the military would control a security zone up to the Litani River, about 30 kilometres north of the border, and after senior Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich called for Israel’s border to be extended to the river. International reporting has described those remarks as the clearest indication yet from senior Israeli officials that they are considering a prolonged seizure of Lebanese territory.

Canada’s foreign ministry said all parties must act in accordance with international law and urged them to protect civilians, infrastructure, health workers, and peacekeepers. France’s foreign minister, Jean Noel Barrot, issued a similar appeal, warning that a ground operation would have major humanitarian consequences. Those statements follow an earlier joint warning from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom that a significant Israeli ground offensive in Lebanon must be averted.

On the ground, Israel has stepped up strikes on southern Lebanon, including attacks on bridges over the Litani River and the demolition of homes near the frontier. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has described the destruction of the Qasmiyeh bridge as a prelude to a ground invasion. The latest attacks reported on Wednesday killed nine people in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese state media, while the broader toll from Israeli attacks since early March has risen to at least 1,072 dead and nearly 3,000 wounded, with more than one million people displaced.

Israel says its campaign is aimed at Hezbollah positions and is intended to protect communities in northern Israel from cross border fire. Rights groups and UN officials, though, have warned that the destruction of homes, roads, and bridges risks isolating civilians and may violate international law if the harm to noncombatants outweighs any military advantage.