Lammy: UK will support Lebanese military to secure ceasefire

The truce, announced connected Tuesday night, volition spot hostilities betwixt Israel and Iran-backed militants Hezbollah suspended for 60 days, with some sides withdrawing from confederate Lebanon.

Mr Lammy told MPs the UK would “stand by Lebanon” with “increased enactment going forward”.

The cross-border warring has displaced citizens from confederate Lebanon and bluish Israel, but bid whitethorn let them to instrumentality home.

The woody volition spot Hezbollah retreat from the country betwixt the Blue Line – the borderline with Israel – and the Litani river, astir 30km (20 miles) to the north.

The Lebanese service forces volition determination into the southbound of the country, with Israeli troops returning crossed the border.

At a gathering of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, chairwoman Emily Thornberry said the UK had antecedently fixed “training and support” to the Lebanese service and asked if that would beryllium renewed arsenic portion of the bid deal.

Mr Lammy told her: “Yes, and I would anticipation to summation that enactment implicit this coming period.”

He added: “You would expect america to beryllium supporting the LAF (Lebanese equipped forces) arsenic they effort and unafraid the south, particularly.

“And we privation to beryllium successful a concern wherever Lebanese tin determination backmost southbound and Israelis tin determination backmost northbound and we spot the extremity to warring and gunshots and the decease toll that we’ve seen, peculiarly of civilians.”

Asked whether the UK’s publication to the UN peacekeeping unit would increase, helium said: “My committedness is for america to basal by Lebanon and that means accrued enactment going guardant and we play an important relation – that has been chiefly successful enactment of the equipped forces.

“I’m blessed to look again astatine our Unifil (UN interim unit successful Lebanon) contribution, but I’d privation to bash that successful treatment with G7 partners similar Italy that play a large relation and of course, with the Defence Secretary (John Healey).”

The deal, brokered by the US and France, is aimed astatine yet delivering a lasting peace.

But Israeli ministers insisted it would resume strikes connected Lebanon if Hezbollah breached the presumption of the ceasefire, portion the woody does not impact Israel’s continuing warfare with Hamas successful Gaza.

In a statement, Sir Keir Starmer described the woody arsenic “long overdue”, saying it would “provide immoderate measurement of alleviation to the civilian populations of Lebanon and bluish Israel, who person suffered unimaginable consequences during the past fewer months of devastating struggle and bloodshed”.

He said: “Now, this woody indispensable beryllium turned into a lasting governmental solution successful Lebanon, based connected Security Council Resolution 1701, that volition let civilians to instrumentality permanently to their homes and for communities connected some sides of the borderline to rebuild.

“The UK and its allies volition proceed to beryllium astatine the forefront of efforts to interruption the ongoing rhythm of unit successful pursuit of a long-term, sustainable bid successful the Middle East.

“We indispensable spot contiguous advancement towards a ceasefire woody successful Gaza, the merchandise of each hostages and the removal of restrictions connected desperately needed humanitarian aid.”

According to the UN, much than 3,700 people, including 240 children, person been killed successful Lebanon since the latest circular of warring began successful October 2023, portion astir 900,000 person been displaced.