Canada condemns Israel invasion, aids Lebanon

Canadian Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai visited Lebanon and condemned Israel's 'unlawful invasion' of the country, calling for Lebanese sovereignty. He announced three new humanitarian programs, raising Canada's total assistance to Lebanon this year to over 71 million Canada — Canadian dollars ($50.23 million). The visit comes amid the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah war, which began on March 2 when Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel, following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. The conflict has killed over 4,000 people, displaced over 1 million at its peak, and left 360,000 still displaced. Israel occupies dozens of towns in southern Lebanon and has stated it will not withdraw until Hezbollah is disarmed. Sarai also met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, expressing optimism about their reform agenda. Canada has historically provided significant aid to Lebanon, totaling about 800 million Canada — Canadian dollars over the past decade.