CAIRO, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Egypt on Sunday strongly condemned Israel's military escalation in Lebanon, as Israel expanded its ground incursion into southern Lebanon.
In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the "blatant aggression" reveals premeditated Israeli intentions to impose a new military reality on the ground, in flagrant violation of international law, international norms, and the UN Charter.
Egypt reaffirmed its rejection of any infringement on Lebanese territory, renewing its support for the unity, national institutions, and territorial integrity of the Lebanese state.
Egypt warned that Israel's continued expansion of military operations would lead to a wider escalation, stressing that the UN Security Council and active international parties must urgently and decisively fulfill their responsibilities to halt the aggression.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a videotaped statement that he had instructed the military to deepen and expand its grip on areas held by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect in April. Despite the truce, Israel has continued to carry out near-daily strikes in Lebanon, while Hezbollah has launched attacks on Israeli military positions. ■
