Spanish Foreign Minister Urges Israel to Halt Ground Raids in Lebanon

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares called on Israel to stop ground raids in southern Lebanon to prevent regional escalation. Albares stressed the need for a truce in Lebanon and a ceasefire in Gaza amid worsening conflict with Hezbollah. Spain currently leads the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares has urged Israel to cease ground raids in southern Lebanon to prevent an escalation of the broader regional conflict. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Albares highlighted the need for an immediate halt to these incursions, citing alarming reports from the ground.

"We insist that the ground incursion should be halted, as we're receiving very worrying information," Albares stated, stressing the necessity of reaching a truce in Lebanon and achieving a ceasefire in Gaza. Earlier the same day, intense clashes were reported between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon. The skirmishes began after Israeli paratroopers, commandos, and armored units initiated ground raids.

This operation follows a series of airstrikes that devastated Hezbollah's leadership, including the assassination of its long-standing chief, Hassan Nasrallah, in Beirut last week. Albares condemned Hezbollah's rocket attacks on Israeli soil and called for adherence to international humanitarian law and civilian protection measures. Since February 2022, Spain has led the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and deployed 650 troops along the Israeli-Lebanese border.

(With inputs from agencies.)