Iraq calls for urgent Arab leaders meeting in New York to discuss Israeli aggression against Lebanon

ISTANBUL

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia Al-Sudani on Monday called for an urgent meeting of Arab leaders in New York on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly to discuss Israel's deadly attacks on Lebanon.

"Iraq calls on and works to convene an urgent meeting for the leaders of the Arab delegations (in New York) to review the repercussions of the Zionist (Israeli) aggression on our peaceful people in Lebanon," Al-Sudani said in a statement issued by his office.

He also urged "collective work to stop Israel's criminal behavior and mobilize international opinion" against Israeli violations in Palestine and Lebanon.

In the same statement, the Iraqi premier said Iraq has established a system to deliver humanitarian aid to Lebanon via air and land bridges, particularly in hospitals.

Israel has launched a barrage of airstrikes into southern and eastern Lebanon, with the nation's health authorities saying at least 492 people, including 35 children, were killed and 1,645 more injured in the attacks since Monday morning that also forced thousands of civilians to flee their homes.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the beginning of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed over 41,400 people, the majority of whom are women and children, following a Hamas cross-border attack on Oct. 7 of last year.

Israeli forces intensified their attacks on Lebanon, ignoring the international community's warnings that they would risk spreading the Gaza conflict to other regions.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar