Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday reiterated his solidarity with the residents of the clashes-hit Lebanese south.

Referring to a recent visit to the South, al-Rahi said: “We told residents that our solidarity with them includes all their needs and the first outcry that we voice with them is: we don’t want a war that would destroy our homes, kill our children and displace us.”

“Heroism is not in igniting war through lethal weapons that have no heart or brain; heroism rather lies in making peace,” the patriarch added.

“War consumes hefty amounts of money for nothing, whereas peace feeds millions of hungry people. War stems from the pride of rulers and their tyrant interests, whereas peace comes from the heart of God,” al-Rahi went on to say.

Since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, the frontier between Lebanon and Israel has seen intensifying exchanges of fire, mainly between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, raising fears of a broader conflagration.

More than 120 people have been killed on the Lebanese side since October, mostly Hezbollah fighters but also including more than a dozen civilians, according to an AFP tally.