The Middle East Crisis|The Reactions

Israeli accusation: US put military in danger

A senior Israeli official is accusing the US of putting Israeli soldiers at risk after leaking attack plans. The Times of Israel writes.

According to the critical Israeli official, Americans leaked information about the operation despite supporting it. However, the official believes that it clearly shows that people are worried in the United States.

- The operation was revealed to try to limit it.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has previously said that a diplomatic solution must be found, but according to the Israeli official, there will be no talks about Lebanon until Israel's military operation is over.

Yesterday, both The Telegraph and the Wall Street Journal wrote with reference to reports that Israeli commandos have struck inside Lebanon and that a ground invasion is likely to follow.

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Turkey accuses Israel of illegal occupation attempt

Turkey calls Israel's incursion into Lebanon an illegal attempt at occupation, writes Reuters. The country's foreign ministry calls on Israel to immediately withdraw its troops from Lebanon's territory.

According to Turkey, Israel's actions threaten regional security and stability. It is added that there will very likely be a new wave of refugees as a result of the fighting.

The Israeli ground invasion across the border in the north began during the night of Tuesday. The Israeli Defense Forces IDF calls it "limited".

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The US provides support: Hezbollah should not be allowed to carry out attacks similar to October 7

The US has given its support to Israel launching ground raids against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has, according to a statement from the Pentagon, spoken with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Galant.

"We agreed on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border to ensure that Lebanese Hezbollah cannot carry out attacks like the one on October 7 against Israel's communities in the north," the statement said.

Austin reiterated the US message that a diplomatic solution is needed to secure civilian lives on both sides of the border. He also threatened Iran with "serious consequences" if it carried out a direct attack on Israel.

A White House spokesperson CNN spoke to says Israel's ground operation is in line with the right to self-defense.

- We are of course aware that there is a risk that the mission could be expanded and we will continue to discuss it with the Israelis.