Friedrich Merz Warns Israel’s Lebanon Offensive Could Fail The American-Iranian Peace Process

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday, April 9, that the American-Iranian “peace process” to end the war in the Middle East could fail because of Israel’s offensive in Lebanon. Merz said, “We are watching with particular concern the situation in southern Lebanon,” adding that “The harshness with which Israel is waging the war there could cause the peace process as a whole to fail.” The same report says intensified bombardments in Lebanon the day before left “more than 200 dead, according to Lebanese authorities.” In parallel, German Foreign Minister Johan Vadivol said Germany will not participate in any international military operation to protect merchant ships in the Hormuz Strait, arguing security there would only be possible through a negotiated solution that includes talks with the Iranians.

Vadivol told a joint press conference in Berlin with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar that the “presence of the Israeli army in southern Lebanon is necessary.” Saar repeated that Israel has no designs on Lebanese territory, while Vadivol supported this stance and condemned Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel, urging the Lebanese government to disarm it. The report says the Israeli army carried out “60 strikes on Lebanon on Tuesday,” killing five people and injuring others, while Hezbollah carried out “17 offensives” against Israeli targets in southern Lebanon. It also says Israel established a “10-kilometer-deep zone” off-limits to the press and residents, and that Lebanon’s Health Ministry put Israeli airstrikes at “about 2,700 people” killed and “more than 8,200” injured since March 2.

As Israel announced the “next phase” of military operations, Les Echos said the head of state announced the delivery of humanitarian aid destined for Lebanese civilians fleeing the south of the country. The same report quotes Emmanuel Macron urging Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu to preserve Lebanon’s territorial integrity and to refrain from a ground offensive, writing, “Everything must be done to prevent this country close to France from being drawn into war again.” Les Echos also reported that the Lebanese health ministry put the death toll from Israeli strikes in Lebanon at “123 dead,” with the ministry saying the toll “stands at 123 martyrs and 683 wounded.” In Berlin, Naharnet said German foreign minister Johann Wadephul endorsed Israel’s ongoing invasion as “necessary,” while warning that “Lebanon must not be allowed to become a theatre of war where it is the civilians who pay the price.”

“All you need to know”

DW