Almost 500 dead in Lebanon, Kallas: “Israel has the right to defend itself, but should cease operations”

Brussels – After a week of bombing and nearly 500 casualties, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, believes that “Israel should cease its operations in Lebanon“. Her “retaliation” against Hezbollah’s intervention in support of Iran, argues the head of European diplomacy, “risks dragging Lebanon and its population into a war that is not theirs, with serious humanitarian consequences.” 

According to data from the Lebanese Ministry of Health, “the total number of victims of the Israeli aggression since 2 March has reached 486 dead.” In addition, there are 1,313 wounded. Just today, Human Rights Watch denounced the Israeli Defence Forces’ use of white phosphorus munitions, “fired by artillery at several homes on 3 March 2026 in the town of Yohmor, in southern Lebanon”. White phosphorus is an incendiary weapon, the use of which on civilian targets constitutes a war crime, pursuant to Article 2 of Annex 3 to the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. 

This morning, in a video call with Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun spoke of “over 600,000 Lebanese citizens displaced and missing. Some are on the streets, without shelter and lacking even the most basic living conditions.” The President of the European Commission announced the mobilisation of stocks from  ReliefEU, which partners and humanitarian organisations can activate, to support around 130,000 people in Lebanon, with a first flight scheduled for tomorrow (10 March). 

In a statement released in the afternoon, Kallas highlighted the risk that Lebanon could “become another front in the war with Iran.” For the High Representative, the responsibilities are clear: “Hezbollah’s decision to attack Israel in support of Iran endangers the entire region and adds a lethal dimension.” The terrorist organisation that controls much of southern Lebanon becomes, like “all proxies” that join the war, a “legitimate target”. 

After reiterating that “Israel has the right to defend itself in line with international law” and that “Hezbollah must disarm and cease all actions against Israel”, Kallas admitted that the latter’s response “has been strong” and “is causing mass displacement and further destabilising an already fragile situation.” Israel “should cease its operations in Lebanon,” Kallas concluded. 

The same message was delivered directly to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by Emmanuel Macron: in a telephone conversation between the two leaders, the first since the summer of 2025, the French president called for a ceasefire and insisted that Tel Aviv “cease its military activities and attacks in Lebanon as soon as possible, in order to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Kallas also believes that “diplomacy and a return to the ceasefire offer the best chance” of preventing Lebanon from sliding into chaos. Aoun himself accused Hezbollah of wanting to provoke the “collapse” of Lebanon on behalf of Iran and called for “direct” negotiations with Israel to end the war.