Support The Moscow Times!

Moscow ‘Extremely Concerned’ Over Deadly Israeli Strikes in Lebanon

Vehicles move along a congested highway along the southern entry to Beirut on Monday. Fadel Itani / AFP

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.”

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more