ANKARA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Trkiye on Monday slammed Israel's expansion of its "occupation" in Lebanon, warning that it threatens regional stability and deepens the humanitarian crisis.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Israeli "expansionist and aggressive policies" undermine peace efforts, drawing parallels to its actions in Gaza.
It appears that the Israeli government, "as it has done in Gaza, aims to make the areas it occupies in Lebanon uninhabitable and force Lebanese people into permanent displacement," it said.
Ankara urged the international community to take immediate steps to halt Israeli attacks and "occupation" in Lebanon.
Israeli media reported that a planned Israeli attack on the Beirut suburb was postponed after U.S. intervention.
Israel's Channel 12 News quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that Hezbollah had expressed readiness in recent days for a full ceasefire without an immediate withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon.
Earlier on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said they had ordered strikes on the Beirut suburb of Dahieh, considered a Hezbollah stronghold, amid increased rocket and drone launches by Hezbollah toward Israeli military positions.
