Lebanon, diplomacy in turmoil to avoid total war with Israel –

Intense diplomatic activity is underway to contain the Israeli response after Hezbollah’s attack on a soccer field on the Golan Heights, which killed 12 young people, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib announced. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vowed yesterday that Israel would “hit the enemy hard” after rockets were launched from Lebanon, which triggered fears of a further escalation of the Middle East war. Israel accused Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement of being responsible for the attack, which was carried out with an Iranian Falaq-1 rocket, but the Hamas-allied and Iran-backed group said it had “no connection” to the incident.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said in an interview with local TV station Al-Jadeed that the United States, France and others were trying to contain the escalation. “Israel will do it in a limited way and Hezbollah will respond in a limited way… These are the assurances we have received,” Bou Habib said. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati also said that “talks are underway with international, European and Arab parties to protect Lebanon and avert the dangers.”