The Kremlin warned that Israeli strikes on Lebanon had the potential to completely destabilise the Middle East and widen the conflict there, Reuters reports.

Israel struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and the group attacked military facilities in northern Israel, increasing fears of a full-blown conflict after Lebanon suffered its deadliest day in decades.

When asked about the Israeli strikes, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call: “This is an event that is potentially extremely dangerous when it comes to the expansion of the conflict, to the complete destabilisation of the region. Of course, this is of extreme concern to us.”