BEIJING, October 2. /TASS/. China is concerned about the volatile situation in the Middle East and opposes the escalation of conflict in the region, the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s press service said, commenting on Iran’s strike on Israel.

"China is deeply concerned about the instability in the Middle East and opposes any violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, as well as any escalation of tensions or expansion of the conflict," the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated in a commentary.

It noted that the failure to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has been the primary factor in the escalating tensions in the Middle East. "All parties should work toward a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible," the Chinese Foreign Ministry emphasized.

On the evening of October 1, Iran launched a massive missile attack on Israel in response to the assassinations of key figures in the leadership of the Hamas, Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Tehran said that 90% of the missiles successfully hit their intended targets, while Israel claims that Iran launched about 180 missiles and most of them were intercepted.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 250 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as retaliation for the aggressive actions taken by Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. In response, Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians before the crisis, launching air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria before starting a ground operation in the Palestinian enclave.