The United States’ reinforcement of its military presence in the Middle East risks an “escalation” of the war between Israel and Hamas, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.

Speaking about the US deployment of warships to the region during a meeting in Tehran, Lavrov, according to AFP, said “the more a state takes this kind of proactive measures, the greater the risk and the danger of an escalation of the conflict”.

He also said the US was “already among the countries intervening the most” since the Oct 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, and subsequent reprisals by Israeli forces on the Gaza Strip.