Cyprus expressed disbelief on Thursday in response to warnings from Lebanon’s Hezbollah that the island nation could be drawn into a potential war between Hezbollah and Israel.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had suggested that Cyprus might become a target if it allowed Israel to utilize its military facilities during an attack on Lebanon.
“The Republic of Cyprus is in no way involved in war conflict,” declared Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, characterizing Nasrallah’s remarks as “not pleasant.” The European Union also responded, stating, “Any threats against our member state are threats against the EU.”
Lebanon’s government seemed to attempt to mitigate any potential consequences arising from Nasrallah’s statements. Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati reached out to Christodoulides on Thursday to express gratitude for his diplomatic response, according to news agency Reuters. Additionally, foreign minister Abdallah Bou Habib communicated with his Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos to emphasize Lebanon’s “continued reliance” on Cyprus’s role in maintaining regional stability.
Cyprus has long positioned itself as a neutral party in the Middle East, providing refuge to thousands of Lebanese citizens during their country’s civil war in the 1970s and 1980s. The island nation has advocated for EU financial support for Lebanon and recently established a maritime corridor to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza who are facing the threat of famine.
However, this situation arises in the context of strengthened ties between Cyprus and Israel, as well as the increased visibility of British sovereign bases on the island in military operations in Syria and, more recently, Yemen. The Israeli air force is also known to conduct exercises in Cypriot airspace, and the two countries have engaged in joint military drills in recent years.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had suggested that Cyprus might become a target if it allowed Israel to utilize its military facilities during an attack on Lebanon.
“The Republic of Cyprus is in no way involved in war conflict,” declared Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, characterizing Nasrallah’s remarks as “not pleasant.” The European Union also responded, stating, “Any threats against our member state are threats against the EU.”
Lebanon’s government seemed to attempt to mitigate any potential consequences arising from Nasrallah’s statements. Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati reached out to Christodoulides on Thursday to express gratitude for his diplomatic response, according to news agency Reuters. Additionally, foreign minister Abdallah Bou Habib communicated with his Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos to emphasize Lebanon’s “continued reliance” on Cyprus’s role in maintaining regional stability.
Cyprus has long positioned itself as a neutral party in the Middle East, providing refuge to thousands of Lebanese citizens during their country’s civil war in the 1970s and 1980s. The island nation has advocated for EU financial support for Lebanon and recently established a maritime corridor to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza who are facing the threat of famine.
However, this situation arises in the context of strengthened ties between Cyprus and Israel, as well as the increased visibility of British sovereign bases on the island in military operations in Syria and, more recently, Yemen. The Israeli air force is also known to conduct exercises in Cypriot airspace, and the two countries have engaged in joint military drills in recent years.