The ambassador of Russia to Beirut, Alexander Rudakov, described the situation along the Blue Line separating Lebanon and Israel as highly unstable and volatile, while emphasizing that Lebanon has no desire to enter into war. His comments were reported by RIA News. [citation: RIA News]
Rudakov warned that the risk of further escalation in the region, including in Lebanon, remains a pressing concern. [citation: RIA News]
He also stressed that the Lebanese authorities retain control over developments and are managing the situation,” aiming to prevent a broader crisis. [citation: RIA News]
Earlier, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Galant indicated that Tel Aviv was preparing for a possible military operation on the Lebanese border, signaling a readiness to act if necessary. [citation: Israeli official statements]
On January 29, Israeli forces stepped up operations along the border, increasing air and artillery strikes against outposts controlled by the Shiite Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon. [citation: military briefings]
During talks with the acting Lebanese foreign minister, Abdullah Bou Habib, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s position that Lebanon should not be drawn into the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. [citation: Russian MFA statement]
The broader Middle East situation intensified on October 7, when thousands of armed supporters of Hamas moved into Israel from the Gaza Strip, attacked civilians, and abducted more than 200 hostages. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel was at war, and a ground operation was launched with the aim of rescuing hostages and degrading Hamas’s capabilities. [citation: multiple security briefings]
Former United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a warning that Lebanon could become another Gaza if tensions escalate, underscoring the fragile balance in an already volatile region. [citation: UN statements]