Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated at a press conference that “the lives and property of civilians must be protected” and called on the parties involved to “work toward de-escalating the regional situation.”
She also reiterated that China has been in contact with the parties since the start of the conflict and expressed the hope that the ceasefire would be used to resolve differences “through dialogue and negotiation.”
The statements come after Israel launched large-scale airstrikes on Wednesday against more than a hundred targets in Lebanon in just ten minutes, resulting in at least 254 deaths and more than 1,100 injuries, mostly civilians, according to Lebanese authorities, who declared a day of national mourning.
The attack has intensified tensions on the Lebanese front, where the Shiite group Hezbollah denounced the violation of the ceasefire and resumed attacks against Israel.
Read also: U.S.-Iran ceasefire under pressure amid escalation in Lebanon
The offensive coincides with a two-week truce agreed upon by Washington and Tehran to facilitate peace negotiations in Pakistan, based on a ten-point plan presented by Iran, following more than a month of war that began in late February with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iranian targets.
The agreement includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which is essential for global energy trade, although doubts remain regarding its scope and whether the front in Lebanon is covered by the ceasefire.
