Carney: Israel Lebanon Invasion – Illegal & Expanding

Canada has condemned Israel’s military actions in Lebanon as an “illegal invasion” and a violation of Lebanon’s territorial sovereignty, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday.

Carney Calls for Ceasefire

Speaking at a news conference in Wakefield, Que., Carney used stronger language than his government has previously employed, also calling for a ceasefire to end the escalating conflict as Israeli ground troops move further into Lebanon. “It’s an illegal invasion,” Carney stated. “It’s a violation of their territorial sovereignty.”

Carney noted that the Lebanese government has banned Hezbollah and is attempting to address the group’s terrorist activities and threats to Israel, which he acknowledged as the reported justification for the invasion. “So, we condemn it,” he said.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs expressed “deep concern” over Carney’s comments, stating that Hezbollah is a “terrorist proxy of the Iranian regime and a global threat.” The organization noted that the Lebanese government has been unable or unwilling to disarm Hezbollah, despite a pledge to do so by the end of 2025, and that civilians in northern Israel face constant threats from Iranian-backed missile fire.

The current conflict began when Hezbollah launched missiles toward Israel on March 2, following attacks by Israel and the U.S. on Iran. Both Israel and Hezbollah accuse each other of initiating hostilities, and Ottawa had previously called for de-escalation from both sides.

On March 16, Canada joined France, Germany, Italy, and the U.K. in a joint statement urging Hezbollah to cease attacks on civilians and immediately disarm.

Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have been displaced by the fighting, with many villages and neighbourhoods evacuated. Three peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) died after an explosion destroyed their vehicle in southern Lebanon, prompting an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Tuesday.

Canada currently provides five military observers to the UN Truce Supervision Organization, which is based in Jerusalem. These observers can also be deployed to Lebanon as part of the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission, or to the Golan Heights. National Defence and Global Affairs Canada have declined to disclose the specific deployment locations of Canadian observers in the Middle East, citing security concerns.