Restoring calm between Israel, Lebanon will take time, says Biden

US President Joe Biden said Friday that Washington’s efforts to restore calm between Israel and Lebanon have “a way to go” before residents on both sides of the border are able to safely return to their homes.

“We’re continuing to try to do, and tried from the beginning, to make sure both people in northern Israel, as well as southern Lebanon, are able to go back to their homes and go back safely,” Biden told reporters at the White House as he convened his Cabinet.

“The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, our whole team is working with the intelligence community, trying to get that done. We’re going to keep at it until we get it done. We’ve got a way to go,” he added.

The comments come after Israel launched airstrikes on a southern Beirut suburb that Lebanese authorities said killed 12 people and left 66 others injured, including nine in critical condition. Israel said it targeted Ibrahim Aqil, the head of Hezbollah’s Operations Unit and the commander of its elite Radwan Force.

The Lebanese group, which operates as both a political party and a paramilitary in Lebanon, has yet to comment.

The strikes followed the detonations of thousands of communication devices across Lebanon that killed 37 people and injured over 3,250 others between Tuesday and Wednesday. At least two children were among those killed by the explosions.

The Lebanese government and Hezbollah held Israel responsible for the device explosions.

Asked if it is still realistic to expect a cease-fire deal to end Israel’s war on the besieged Gaza Strip, and free the hostages being held there, Biden said that his administration has “to keep at it.”

“If I ever say it’s not realistic then I might as well leave. A lot of things don’t look realistic until we get them done. We have to keep at it,” he said. ​​​​​​