The Kremlin said Monday that it was “extremely” concerned over relentless Israeli airstrikes that have killed over 500 people and wounded around 1,800 others, as the Russian Embassy in Lebanon urged citizens to leave the country.
“This development is potentially extremely dangerous,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, warning of the “widening area of conflict and a complete destabilization of the region.”
“We are extremely worried and concerned. At the moment, it’s very difficult to talk about any possible resolution [to the fighting],” Peskov added.
He also reiterated past accusations against the United States for obstructing peace efforts in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, which began after the militant group killed over 1,000 civilians in southern Israel last October.
“A peaceful resolution right now is, in essence, controlled by one country,” Peskov said, referring to the United States. “At this time, it’s impossible to speak of any breakthroughs, unfortunately.”
Meanwhile, Russia’s Embassy in Lebanon advised its citizens to leave the country amid fears of a full-scale war breaking out.
“Those feeling unsafe in Lebanon are urged to take commercial flights while Beirut’s airport is still operating relatively normally,” Ambassador Alexander Rudakov told state media. “This is not the time for tourism,” he stressed, urging Russians to follow Lebanese authorities’ safety instructions.
Russia’s Ambassador to Israel, Anatoly Viktorov, also advised Russians to avoid unnecessary travel.
Israel claims to have killed a “large number” of Hezbollah militants on Monday, striking around 1,600 sites in southern and eastern Lebanon, including a “targeted strike” in Beirut. Hezbollah fired a barrage of missiles at Israeli air bases in response.
At least 558 people, including 50 children, were killed in the Israeli strikes, Lebanon’s health ministry said. At least 1,835 were wounded.
World leaders and the United Nations have called for an immediate de-escalation as the conflict, originally focused on Israel’s southern border with Gaza, has now spread north to Lebanon. Turkey warned that Israel’s attacks on Lebanon could “drag the entire region into chaos.”
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