VIENNA: The Israeli army’s push further into southern Lebanon is cause for serious concern, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in a statement on Sunday, urging all sides to cease hostilities.
“The Israeli army’s advance further into southern Lebanon is cause for serious concern,” the statement said, adding: “Any further escalation will exacerbate the already tense situation and trigger new waves of displacement within Lebanon.”
The Israeli military’s escalation of activities in Lebanon has led to civilians being killed and displaced, destroyed infrastructure and eroded space for diplomacy and it must end, British Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper said on Sunday.
“All sides must respect the ceasefire and engage with negotiations in good faith,” Cooper said in a post on X, adding that Hezbollah must also end its attacks on Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he had ordered troops to move further into Lebanon in the battle against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, despite a ceasefire announced more than six weeks ago.
The fighting in Lebanon has been the broadest spillover of the Iran war, displacing more than 1.2 million Lebanese through Israeli strikes and evacuation orders since March 2, when Hezbollah began firing rockets and drones into Israel to back its ally Iran.
