BERLIN, May 31. /TASS/. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has called on Israel and Hezbollah to return to the ceasefire, adding that talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington are the "right channel for achieving results."

"Any further advance of the Israeli army in southern Lebanon causes serious concern," he said, as cited by the DPA agency. He called on Israel to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure during its operation against Hezbollah.

"Any further escalation will only aggravate the tense situation and provoke new waves of displacements of the population in Lebanon," he said. He admitted that Israel has legitimate security interests. But when civilians pay the price of the military escalation, and whole areas in Lebanon become unfit for living, this will not help Israel ensure long-term security, he noted.

According to the top German diplomat, the key to the stabilization in Lebanon is the strengthening of the Lebanese state, and to make this happen, the country’s government must establish a monopoly on the use of forces and fight against Hezbollah. The Israeli-Lebanese talks in Washington are the "right channel for achieving results," Wadephul said, adding that Hezbollah must not continue torpedoing this peace process.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said earlier that the Israeli army had established control of a key strategic height north of the Litani River in Lebanon, home to the Crusader fortress of Beaufort, located at an altitude of 300 meters, 100 kilometers south of Beirut. The Crusaders captured the site in 1139 and built a fortress there, which subsequently changed hands many times. By the early 20th century, the castle was in ruins, but the commanding heights retained their strategic military significance. In the 1970s, Palestine Liberation Organization units established presence there, shelling Israeli territory. They were driven out by Israeli forces in 1982. Israel controlled Beaufort until 2000 and used the area as a military base. After the Israeli army withdrew from Lebanon in 2000, Beaufort became a stronghold for Hezbollah militias.