State Department condemns Hezbollah rocket attacks, urges Israeli-Lebanese calm

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price briefs reporters during a press briefing in Washington, D.C., on May 11, 2021. Credit: U.S. State Department Photo by Ron Przysucha.

(JNS)The U.S. State Department strongly condemned Hezbollah’s launching of rockets towards Israel on Friday.

“This violence puts Israelis and Lebanese at risk, and jeopardizes Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

He added that the United States is engaged with Israeli and Lebanese officials, as well as the Lebanese Armed Forces.

“We call upon the Lebanese government urgently to prevent such attacks and bring the area under its control,” wrote Price. “We also urge the Lebanese government to facilitate full access for UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon) peacekeepers in accordance with [U.N. Security Council Resolution] 1701. We strongly encourage all efforts to maintain calm.”

The response came after Hezbollah in Lebanon launched 19 rockets towards Israel on Friday, some near the northern city of Kiryat Shmona. They came 24 hours after a targeted strike by the Israeli Defense Forces on terrorist infrastructure in Southern Lebanon in response to three Grad rockets fired at Israel on Wednesday.

Sholom Schreirber

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