MOSCOW, June 26. /TASS/. Israel is moving to expand its military operation toward Lebanon and such a policy is fraught with risks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the 10th Primakov Readings international forum on Wednesday.

"Currently, there is a risk of violence spreading to Lebanon, and the Israeli leadership has already <…> put forward some demands," Russia’s top diplomat said as he expressed hope that the "the international community, including mainly Israel’s key allies, would realize how disastrous such steps are."

In mid-June, the Israel Defense Forces approved plans for an offensive in Lebanon. Following its operation against the Palestinian radical movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Israel plans to attack the Lebanon-based Shiite party Hezbollah, too. Like Hamas, Hezbollah has been opposed to Israel as it has been sporadically shelling the northern Jewish state.

The Primakov Readings international forum is being held in Moscow on June 25-26. TASS is the event’s general information partner.