Israel summoned Italy’s ambassador on Monday to protest after Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned what he called Israel’s “unacceptable attacks” on civilians in Lebanon during a visit to Beirut, an Italian diplomatic source said.
Tajani, a senior member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, visited Beirut on Monday for talks with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi.
Tajani wrote on X that he was there to “convey Italy’s solidarity following Israel’s unacceptable attacks against the civilian population.”
He called for dialogue between Lebanon and Israel and a “necessary and lasting ceasefire” adding: “Another escalation like in Gaza must be avoided at all costs.”
Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war when Iran-backed group Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on 2 March, days after the opening salvo of US-Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Israel responded with massive strikes and a ground invasion.
Israel’s military said Monday that a massive wave of strikes in Lebanon last week killed five Hezbollah commanders, as well as more than 250 of the Iran-backed group’s fighters.
Italy’s government summoned Israel’s ambassador last week after saying Israeli forces fired warning shots at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, damaging at least one vehicle but causing no injuries.
Additional sources • AFP