Canada pledges $50m aid to Lebanon and condemns Israeli ‘unlawful invasion’

Canada official condemns Israel’s ‘invasion’ of Lebanon, calls for sovereignty as aid pledged to the crisis-hit nation.Canada’s secretary of state for international development, Randeep Sarai, visited Lebanon to announce new humanitarian aid, condemning what he called Israel’s “unlawful invasion” of Lebanon.During his visit, Sarai stated that Beirut should govern its own space. He also announced new programmes Canada is launching to support Lebanese families affected by the conflict, raising its total assistance to Lebanon this year to more than $50m.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Israeli strikes in south Lebanon a ‘violation of international law’: PMlist 2 of 4Lebanese Americans sue seeking end to US support for Israellist 3 of 4Lebanon’s PM urges timetable for Israeli withdrawal as Hezbollah slams deallist 4 of 4Canada tells Israel that Lebanon’s sovereignty ‘must not be violated’end of list“Our commitment is long-term, and we’re there for Lebanon,” said Sarai, who visited shelters housing people displaced by the war and Syrian refugees during his visit.Amid the escalation between Israel and Lebanon in March, Canada warned on March 25 that Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity “must not be violated” and strongly condemned plans by Israeli forces to occupy southern Lebanon.As part of the US-mediated framework agreement signed in late June, “pilot zones” were designed to return small areas in southern Lebanon from Israeli forces to the Lebanese army.Buildings hit by Israeli strikes lie in ruins in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, Lebanon as seen from Zawtar al-Gharbiya, one of the designated pilot zones under the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, from which Israeli forces have withdrawn, August 5, 2026 [Stringer/EPA]In late July, the Lebanese Armed Forces accused Israel of obstructing its efforts to take over control of security in southern Lebanon.The war has killed more than 4,000 people and has caused widespread destruction across Lebanon. The United Nations says that about 360,000 people are displaced as a result of the latest conflict.