Blinken: We Call for Restraint in the Region, Especially in Lebanon

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Thursday, September 20, in Paris that both the United States and France are calling for restraint in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon. He added that Washington does not want to witness provocative actions from any party that, according to him, would make reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza even more difficult. The senior diplomat of the Biden administration emphasized that a ceasefire in Gaza remains 'possible and necessary.' In this context, Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, clarified at a Thursday press conference that the United States is committed to defending Israel against terrorist groups, including Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies. Like Blinken, Miller stated that the U.S. does not want to see an escalation of tensions from any side. He pointed out the dangerous conditions in the region since the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7 against Israel, stating that America's priority remains de-escalation. Meanwhile, amid rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing 'an informed source,' that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's scheduled trip to Israel for next week has been postponed. The source did not specify the reason for the postponement. The U.S. Department of Defense announced that Austin emphasized the importance of 'calming' tensions in the Middle East during a call with his Israeli counterpart. The Pentagon stated that the military posture of U.S. forces in the Middle East has not changed, and attacks leading to increased tensions are 'not helpful.' Israeli fighter jets destroyed 30 launchers and other infrastructure of this Iranian proxy group in southern Lebanon on Thursday. According to the Israeli military, these launchers included 150 'launch tubes' of munitions that were prepared for immediate attack on Israel. Additionally, several buildings and a weapons depot belonging to Hezbollah were targeted by Israeli airstrikes. As a result of the explosions of pagers and radios belonging to Hezbollah members in two waves of attacks that occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday, at least 37 people were killed and over 3,000 injured. Hezbollah claims that Israel carried out this attack. Hezbollah receives millions of dollars in aid from the Islamic Republic of Iran annually. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the recent attacks. The Lebanese army announced on Thursday that it is destroying suspicious pagers and communication devices in controlled explosions in various areas. The Lebanese army urged citizens to report any suspicious devices they observe. Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, also commented on Thursday regarding the deadly explosions of the wireless devices and pagers of this Iranian-backed group, stating: 'We have undoubtedly suffered an unprecedented security and military blow that... is unprecedented in the history of Lebanon.' Nasrallah acknowledged that 'we have suffered a great and severe blow' and added that 'we know that our enemy has a technological advantage [over us] and we have never said otherwise.' The Islamic Republic claims that it has no proxy groups in the Middle East. However, the Iranian ambassador in Beirut was also injured due to the explosion of pagers used by Hezbollah. Since the terrorist attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, Hezbollah has also entered the war and has repeatedly attempted to attack northern Israel by firing rockets, causing thousands of Israelis to leave their homes in the north of the country. Israel has stated that it will ensure security in its northern areas by any means necessary, whether diplomatic or military. Israel is calling for Hezbollah to withdraw from the border areas of Lebanon with Israel. So far, diplomatic efforts to push Hezbollah back to the other side of the Litani River, 30 kilometers from the shared border of Israel and Lebanon, based on UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in the summer of 2006, have failed. Hezbollah was established in 1982 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Several countries, including the United States, Israel, Germany, Serbia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Australia, have recognized the group as a terrorist organization. Recognizing Hezbollah as a terrorist organization means not differentiating between its political and military branches and labeling both as terrorists. The consequences of the explosions in Lebanon; Turkey is investigating the security of communication devices used by the army. A new wave of extensive Israeli airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. Lebanon has banned the transport of wireless devices and pagers through Beirut International Airport. The White House stated that the U.S. had no involvement in the explosions of communication tools belonging to Hezbollah agents in Lebanon. Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon were targeted by Israeli air and artillery attacks. The Israeli Defense Minister stated that the center of conflict is shifting from Gaza to Lebanon; we have entered a new phase of war.