BEIRUT, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati met Thursday with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and discussed the conflicts in Gaza and the tension along the Lebanon-Israel border.
Mikati warned of "a comprehensive war" in the region if Israel continues its attacks in southern Lebanon and called for international pressure to stop them, according to a statement released by the Lebanese Council of Ministers.
Mikati also underscored that the first step to halt the Gaza conflict is a ceasefire, followed by negotiations for a solution based on two states and securing the rights of the Palestinians.
For his part, Cameron said in a statement released on the social media platform X that the escalation "from Gaza to Lebanon, the Red Sea or across the region as a whole would raise the level of risks and insecurity in the world," praising Lebanon's efforts in "preventing such escalation."
The Lebanon-Israel border has seen increased tension since Oct. 8, when the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attacks on Israel the previous day. Israel responded by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.
The clashes between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 183 people on the Lebanese side, including 128 Hezbollah members and dozens of civilians, Lebanese security sources said. ■
