UNITED NATIONS, October 2. /TASS/. Moscow strongly condemns Israel’s attack on Lebanon and demands that the Israeli authorities immediately withdraw troops from the country, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said.

"Russia strongly condemns the attack on Lebanon and calls on the Israeli authorities to immediately end military operations and withdraw troops from Lebanon," he noted at a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.

Nebenzya pointed out that Russia sees "no justification for more civilian casualties, which are already in the thousands." "We express solidarity with the leadership and people of friendly Lebanon, which has been subjected to armed aggression. We express our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those killed. We demand the full and comprehensive implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701," the Russian envoy added.

On September 23, Israel launched Operation Northern Arrows against the Lebanon-based Hezbollah Shia movement, carrying out massive airstrikes on its military targets. The stated goal is to create safe conditions for the return of local residents to Israel’s northern border areas. A September 27 strike on Beirut killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The Israeli army announced the start of a ground operation in the border areas of southern Lebanon in the early hours of October 1.