Berri says Dahieh strike 'extremely dangerous escalation'

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri considered the strike that killed Sunday Hezbollah's top military chief in Haret Hreik "an extremely dangerous escalation."

In an interview published Tuesday in al-Joumhouria newspaper, Berri said that Beirut and its southern suburb are back to the circle of Israeli targeting, adding that the strike shows that there are no real guarantees for protecting the capital and its suburb and that Israel can do whatever it wants, without any accountability.

Israel on Sunday struck Beirut's southern suburbs for the first time since June, saying it killed Hezbollah’s chief of staff Haytham Tabatabai.

The strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs killed five people and wounded 25 others.

Berri predicted an Israeli escalation in the coming days and accused the ceasefire monitoring committee of failing to seriously intervene to prevent the escalation as it is "preoccupied with monitoring the Lebanese Army" instead.

Berri's words come after a U.S. campaign against the army leadership, and Israel's accusations that the army is not doing its job in disarming Hezbollah. The U.S.-chaired committee -- in which Lebanon, Israel, France and the U.N. are members -- has reportedly pressured the army to search homes in south Lebanon for Hezbollah weapons or tunnels under houses.

"The committee is turning a blind eye to the occupation army's violations of the ceasefire agreement," Berri said, adding that some in Lebanon and abroad are mad at the army because it took the right decision and refused to be dragged into a confrontation with "its people". "Because of this national choice, some are inciting against the military and its leader."

Berri called on the Lebanese to unite, warning that Israel is benefiting from the divisions and the fragile situation in Lebanon.

"We are in dire need to be united, because our unity is the most important and strongest weapon in confronting the Israeli danger," he said.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea had said Sunday after the strike on Dahieh that Lebanon must disarm Hezbollah and ask "its friends, the United States and Saudi Arabia, for help" to pressure Israel to halt its aggressions and withdraw from Lebanon.