BEIRUT: Hezbollah welcomes any effort to stop the war in Lebanon but does not pin its hopes for a ceasefire on a particular US administration, Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim Al-Moussawi said on Thursday when asked about Donald Trump鈥檚 election victory.
鈥淚t might be a change in the party who is in power, but when it comes to Israel, they have more or less the same policy,鈥� Moussawi told Reuters.
鈥淲e want to see actions, we want to see decisions taken,鈥� he said. Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have exchanged fire for more than a year, in parallel with the Gaza war, but fighting has escalated since late September, with Israeli troops intensifying bombing of Lebanon鈥檚 south and east and making ground incursions into border villages.
Israel says it is targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and military assets, while avoiding civilians. Hezbollah and Lebanese officials point to the rising death toll, with more than 3,000 killed, and widespread destruction in the country as evidence that Israel is targeting civilians. US diplomatic efforts to halt fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which included a 60-day ceasefire proposal, faltered last week ahead of the US election on Tuesday in which former President Donald Trump recaptured the White House.
Moussawi acknowledged the heavy toll of Israeli attacks that have blown apart thousands of buildings, mostly in Lebanon鈥檚 Shiite Muslim-dominated south and east and Beirut鈥檚 southern suburbs, but said the group鈥檚 military capabilities remained strong.
鈥淥ur hearts are broken 鈥� we are losing very dear lives. This feeling that cannot be punished or brought to international justice is a result of USsupport which renders them immune to accountability,鈥� he said.
鈥淎merica is a full partner in what鈥檚 happening because they can exercise influence to stop this destruction.鈥�
Massad Boulos, a Lebanese-American billionaire who is the father-in-law of Trump鈥檚 daughter, Tiffany, said he would be in charge of negotiating with the Lebanese side to reach an agreement to end the war, Lebanese broadcaster Al Jadeed quoted him as saying this week.
He also said that Trump was aiming to end the war before he took office in January, Al Jadeed reported. Reuters could not immediately reach Boulos.
The Israeli government celebrated Trump鈥檚 return to power, saying he was a leader who would support them 鈥渦nconditionally.鈥�
STRIKE AT ARMY CHECKPOINT
Overnight on Wednesday, Israel carried out a series of strikes in Beirut鈥檚 southern suburbs, including at least one strike just tens of meters from Beirut airport鈥檚 runways.
Lebanese Transport Minister Ali Hamiye said the airport was functioning normally on Thursday.