Followed by-INA
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned on Sunday the (Israeli) military escalation against Lebanon.
In a statement followed by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the Ministry said, "The Arab Republic of Egypt condemns in the strongest terms the (Israeli) military escalation against Lebanon, and the continued brutal aggression, which has manifested itself in the expansion of the ground incursion into southern Lebanon."
The Ministry added, "This dangerous development represents a complete violation of Lebanese sovereignty and a blatant act of aggression that reveals Israel's premeditated intentions to impose a new military reality on the ground, in grave violation of all norms and rules of international law and the Charter of the United Nations."
Egypt stressed, according to the statement, its "categorical rejection of any infringement upon Lebanese national territory," reiterating its support for the unity of the Lebanese state, its national institutions, and its territorial integrity. It demanded an immediate and complete (Israeli) withdrawal from all Lebanese territory and the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in its entirety, without selectivity, to enable state institutions, foremost among them the Lebanese army, to extend their exclusive sovereignty over all national territory.
Egypt affirmed that "(Israel's) continued expansion of military operations will inevitably lead to an explosion of the situation," emphasizing "the necessity for the Security Council and active international parties to urgently and decisively assume their responsibilities to immediately halt the Israeli aggression."
It warned that "the continuation of this escalation will lead to further chaos and instability in the region at a time when regional and international parties are exerting strenuous diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions."
