Since the Middle East escalation began, cross-border attacks have already resulted in hundreds of fatalities.
A coalition of European countries and Canada have called for Israel to cease a ground incursion into Lebanon, warning that the move could trigger “devastating humanitarian consequences” in a nation where hundreds have already perished during the current regional conflict.
The Israeli military announced “limited and targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah strongholds” in its northern neighbor on Monday. This followed a series of strikes by the group—which has strong links to Iran—against the Jewish state in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. These hostilities followed a joint US-Israeli campaign against Iran that commenced on February 28.
In a joint statement issued Monday, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and Canada expressed they were “gravely concerned” by the intensifying violence. They called for “meaningful engagement by Israeli and Lebanese representatives to negotiate a sustainable political solution,” while demanding “immediate de-escalation.”
While the leaders condemned Hezbollah’s choice to join Iran in the hostilities and called for the group’s disarmament, they also denounced attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure, and UN peacekeepers, stating “these actions are unacceptable.”
“A significant Israeli ground offensive would have devastating humanitarian consequences and could lead to a protracted conflict. It must be averted. The humanitarian situation in Lebanon, including ongoing mass displacement, is already deeply alarming,” the statement declared.
According to local authorities, Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed 886 people over the last two weeks, with more than 2,000 injured and over 1 million people registered as displaced.
The broader conflict involving the US and Israel against Iran has highlighted an increasing divide between European NATO members and Washington. European leaders have turned down US President Donald Trump’s request to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which was effectively closed by Iran following the escalation. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius offered a blunt rejection on Monday, stating that “this is not our war, we have not started it.”
Meanwhile, Trump has warned that NATO faces a “very bad” future if European nations fail to take action, asserting that it is “only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help.”