Attacks on Lebanon show Israeli plan to expand war across region, says Turkish President Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly condemned the recent wave of deadly attacks caused by exploding pagers and walkie-talkies in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon, stating that the detonations have proven Ankara’s concerns about Israel's ambitions to extend conflict throughout West Asia.

Speaking to the media in Istanbul on Saturday ahead of his departure to New York, where he will address the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, Erdogan said that Israel is carrying out attacks like a terrorist group.

“With this attack, Israel demonstrated it has no civilian sensitivities, it can use any means to achieve its hateful ambitions,” he added.

This assault also indicates that Israel is extending its attacks throughout Lebanon and the region, with the support of some Western countries, Erdogan noted.

The region is now facing an “inexplicably huge crisis,” the Turkish president stated.

“For our region not to be dragged into a great disaster, the pressure on Israel must be increased even more,” Erdogan said.

He also called on the international community, especially Western states, to “stop watching Israel's heinous actions and take deterrent steps.”

Probe finds devices ‘booby-trapped’ before entering Lebanon

Lebanon

“It is time for all countries with the mission of protecting world peace to come up with solutions that will stop Israel,” Erdogan said.

The Turkish president underlined that Israel's genocidal war on the besieged Gaza Strip will top the agenda of his speech at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

“In order to end this oppression that has been going on for almost a year, to establish a permanent ceasefire [in Gaza]  and to ensure the unhindered flow of humanitarian aid, all of us, the whole world and especially the UN, have important duties,” he said.

The death toll from the multiple blasts involving pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon now stands at 37. Twenty-five people were killed on Wednesday and 708 were injured while on Tuesday, 12 people were killed and 2,323 injured, according to the latest Health Ministry figures.

The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, whose members were among the casualties, blamed the unprecedented attacks on Israel. 

Hezbollah also pledged to retaliate against Israel following the terrorist attacks.

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have incrementally escalated since the occupying regime launched a ruinous war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip in October last year, which has claimed upwards of 42,200 innocent lives, most of them women and children.

The two sides have on a near-daily basis exchanged heavy fire resulting in the loss of more than 600 lives on the Lebanese side.

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Thursday that the deadly wireless device explosions by Israel amount to a declaration of war on Lebanon, vowing a harsh response to the regime.

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