EU foreign affairs chief arrives in Beirut in push for ceasefire

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EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell arrived in Beirut on Wednesday in the latest effort to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and peace in southern Lebanon.
Mr Borrell began his trip by visiting the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping mission to Lebanon (Unifil) in Naqoura, on the border with Israel. He also met with Druze community leader Walid Joumblatt and his son Teymour.
Early on Thursday, Mr Borrell held talks with Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and is expected to meet Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and army commander Gen Joseph Aoun.
The visit follows Mr Borrell’s trip to Cairo, where he met top Egyptian leaders in a bid to find a resolution to the war in Gaza.
“The mission will be an opportunity to discuss all aspects of the situation in and around Gaza and wider political issues with regional leaders, notably the impact of the conflict on neighbouring countries and their respective contributions to peace and stability efforts,” Mr Borrell’s office said.
Meanwhile, clashes continued in southern Lebanon overnight on Wednesday amid yet another surge in cross-border violence.
Hamas said its branch in Lebanon had launched 30 rockets at northern Israel on Wednesday night. While most attacks launched against Israel from Lebanon since October have been carried out by the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, its allies – including Hamas – have also been involved.
Hezbollah on Wednesday night announced that it had launched missiles at an Israeli military intelligence base.
Meanwhile, an Israeli drone strike killed two boys, aged 12 and 17, who were riding a motorcycle south of the city of Tyre, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.
The situation in southern Lebanon had somewhat quietened over the past two weeks after Hezbollah carried out its long-awaited retaliation for the assassination of its commander Fouad Shukr in Beirut in July.
However, hostilities have surged in recent days, as Israeli officials have increasingly indicated that their army’s focus will soon shift from Gaza to Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.