Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in the New Administrative Capital. Photo: Al-Ahram
In a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt stressed the need for concerted international and regional efforts to reduce regional tensions and establish calm in the Middle East.
Additionally, Cairo emphasised that the dangerous and rapid developments in southern Lebanon are a clear indication of what Egypt had previously warned of regarding the dangers of irresponsible regional escalation, which is linked to the Gaza crisis and the Israeli aggression against Palestinians.
Egypt further reaffirmed the necessity to reach a comprehensive ceasefire and end the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, in order to spare the region further instability, conflicts and threats to international peace and security.
In the early hours of Sunday, Hezbollah carried out a large-scale attack with rockets and drones on Israeli positions in an initial response to the assassination of the Lebanese group’s top commander Fouad Shukur, as Israel launched what it called pre-emptive strikes against the group.
The "first phase has ended with total success", the Lebanese militant group said, adding that this phase sought to target Israeli barracks and positions to facilitate the passage of attack drones towards targets deep inside Israel.
Meanwhile, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed "to do everything" to ensure the security of residents of northern Israel.
The Iran-backed group has exchanged regular fire with Israel since the outbreak of the war on Gaza in October 2023.
However, fears of a wider conflict grew after Iran and Hezbollah vowed revenge for the Israeli assassinations of Shukur in Beirut and Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.
Many governments have urged their nationals to leave Lebanon and several international airlines have suspended flights to and from Israel and to and from Lebanon amid these escalations.
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