MOSCOW: The Kremlin said on Tuesday it was deeply concerned about Israel’s military activity in Lebanon and a strike on the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Israel said intense fighting had erupted with the Hezbollah movement in south Lebanon on Tuesday after its paratroops and commandos launched raids there, at the start of a ground incursion that followed airstrikes against Hezbollah’s leadership.
Turkiye also condemned Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon as an “unlawful invasion attempt” and called for the withdrawal of its troops.
“This attack must end as soon as possible and Israeli soldiers must withdraw from Lebanese territory,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Israeli army said its troops were locked in fierce clashes in Lebanon after launching a ground offensive Tuesday, escalating the conflict after a week of air strikes that killed hundreds.
The ground assault came as Israel targeted south Beirut, Damascus and Gaza, despite international calls for restraint to avoid a regional conflagration.
“Israel’s violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this country by launching a ground attack on Lebanon is an unlawful invasion attempt,” the foreign ministry said.
Ankara warned that is likely to trigger a new wave of migrants.
“As a result of this dangerous invasion attempt, it is highly likely that a new wave of migration will emerge and extremists will gain ground all over the world,” the ministry said.
It urged the UN Security Council to “comply with international law and take the necessary measures.”
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares also said that Israel should cease conducting ground raids in southern Lebanon to avoid an escalation of the conflict enveloping the wider region.
“We insist that the ground incursion should be halted, as we’re receiving very worrying information,” Albares said, adding that it was “necessary to reach a truce in Lebanon and a ceasefire in Gaza.”
Albares also condemned Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on Israeli territory. He said the only way to achieve peace in the Middle East was if belligerents complied with international humanitarian law and respected the protections accorded to civilians.
Since February 2022, Spain has commanded the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and deployed 650 troops along the southern Lebanese border with Israel.
