Turkey strongly condemned ongoing Israeli strikes on Lebanon, which Israel and the United States say are not covered by the US-Iranian ceasefire, the foreign ministry said in a statement Wednesday evening.
At least 254 people were killed and 1,165 more were wounded in Lebanon Wednesday after Israel launched a wave of strikes unprecedented in the current war, according to the latest Lebanese health ministry toll.
“We condemn in the strongest terms Israel’s intensifying attacks on Lebanon, which have resulted in significant loss of life. These attacks are further exacerbating the humanitarian situation in the country,” said the statement from Turkey, a key regional player.
“The international community must act without delay to bring an end to Israel’s occupation of Lebanon and ensure the protection of civilians.”
The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, with talks to finalize a broader peace deal set to begin in Islamabad on Friday.
The truce, announced Tuesday by US President Donald Trump, includes a conditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
© Agence France-Presse