Caretaker Foreign Minister says "no serious indicators" of war with Israel, despite tensions over maritime disputes

BEIRUT — Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said yesterday that there were "no serious indicators" of the possibility of a war with Israel, despite threats exchanged in recent days after the arrival of a floating production, storage and offloading unit from the power company Energean in the disputed Karish field, in an interview with an-Nahar.

Here’s what we know:

    • Bou Habib stated that this assessment of the situation is based on "precise information" obtained from the circles concerned, in an interview with an-Nahar news.

    • Hezbollah had said that it was ready to take action if the Lebanese state confirmed an Israeli violation on the maritime border, assuring that the resistance could "prevent the enemy from extracting oil and gas from the Karish field."

    • Israel responded by threatening "massive and devastating bombardments if ever a war broke out" with Lebanon.

    • Amos Hochstein, the US mediator of Lebanon’s maritime borders negotiations with Israel arrived to Beirut Monday.

    • Bou Habib expressed his "optimism" regarding Hochstein’s visit, stating that an agreement could be found after the relaunch of talks between Lebanon and Israel. Earlier today, Bou Habib received Hochstein during his several visits with various Lebanese politicians and government officials. 

    • "Lebanon wants such an agreement, as does the US,” Bou Habib said, pointing out that US and UN officials have informed him of Israel's desire to reach an agreement.