Biden’s comments sent oil prices soaring; Lebanese army says it has returned fire at Israel for the first time

Lebanon’s ambassador to the UK, appearing on BBC radio, has said that Israel is “pushing the region towards abyss”.

PA Media reports Rami Mortada said:

On 7 October, there was a genocide that started in Gaza. Conflicts in the region are contagious because the social fabric shared by all the countries of the region. We need to stop this carnage in Gaza, stop this carnage in Lebanon and seek a diplomatic solution.

This expansion of the war theatre does not help. It’s pushing the region towards abyss. It’s time to reverse the trend and look for a diplomatic solution. That’s what we are saying.