Hundreds of people have already been killed in cross-border strikes since the start of the Middle East escalation

A group of European nations as well as Canada have called on Israel to stop a ground incursion into Lebanon, saying the attack could lead to "devastating humanitarian consequences" in a country where hundreds of people have already been killed in the ongoing Middle East escalation.

The Israeli military announced "limited and targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah strongholds" in its northern neighbor on Monday after the group - which has close ties with Iran - launched waves of strikes on the Jewish state in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The attacks followed a joint US-Israeli campaign against Iran launched on February 28.

In a joint statement issued Monday, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and Canada said they were "gravely concerned" by the escalating violence and called for "meaningful engagement by Israeli and Lebanese representatives to negotiate a sustainable political solution," urging "immediate de-escalation."

While condemning Hezbollah's decision to join Iran in hostilities and calling on the group to disarm, the leaders also condemned attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure, and UN peacekeepers, saying "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 read.

Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed 886 people in the past two weeks, with more than 2,000 injured and over 1 million people registered as displaced, according to local authorities.

The broader US-Israel war against Iran has already highlighted a growing rift between European NATO members and Washington. European leaders have rejected US President Donald Trump's demand to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz, which was de facto closed by Iran after the escalation. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius delivered the bluntest pushback, saying on Monday that "this is not our war, we have not started it."

Meanwhile, Trump has warned that NATO faces a "very bad" future if European states fail to act, claiming it is "only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help."

(RT.com)