EU's Borrell says 'drums of war have not stopped pounding' in Lebanon

Foreign affairs and security chief meets senior Lebanese politicians after visit to Unifil headquarters

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati meets EU foreign policy and security chief Josep Borrell in Beirut on Thursday. Reuters

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EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said "the drums of war have not stopped pounding" in Lebanon since he last visited the country in January, as clashes between Hezbollah and Israel continue in the border areas.

Mr Borrell, who arrived to Beirut on Wednesday in the latest effort to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and peace in southern Lebanon, said that an all-out war has not yet happened was "good news" and urged all parties to pursue the path of "de-escalating military tensions".

The EU was putting all its diplomatic efforts into avoiding a broader escalation, particularly in south Lebanon, he said. "We have to continue pushing for a comprehensive peace in the region."

Early on Thursday, Mr Borrell held talks with Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, powerful Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and army commander Gen Joseph Aoun.

Mr Borrell began his trip on Wednesday by visiting the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping mission to Lebanon (Unifil) in Naqoura, on the border with Israel. He also met Druze community leader Walid Joumblatt and his son Teymour.

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, as ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel continue to stall.

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 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. For its part, Hezbollah says it will not cease its attacks on Israel until a ceasefire deal for Gaza has been struck.