UPDATE - Maldives, Malaysia condemn Israeli ground operation in Lebanon

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT BY MALDIVES PRESIDENT

By Anadolu staff

Malaysia and Maldives on Tuesday “condemned the Israeli military's ground operations in Lebanon.”

"Strongly condemn Israeli aggression against Lebanon, killing innocent civilians, causing displacement and injury to thousands," said Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on X.

This Israel operation, he said, is a clear violation of international law and international humanitarian law.

The international community must act immediately to hold Israel accountable and bring an immediate ceasefire in both Lebanon and Gaza," he added.

“The Zionist Israel regime’s actions clearly violate security, stability, as well as the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, contravening the United Nations Charter and international law,” the Malaysian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Israeli army said early Tuesday that it had launched “limited and targeted” ground operations in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah also denied Israeli claims that Tel Aviv had sent its ground forces into Lebanese territory.

Kuala Lumpur said it stands in solidarity with Lebanon, joining the “overwhelming call” by the international community for an urgent cease-fire to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe in Lebanon.

“It is vital for all parties to not exacerbate the already tense situation in the region,” it added.

The Malaysian Embassy in Beirut, which will operate until further notice, is taking steps to evacuate Malaysian nationals from Lebanon.

Since Sept. 23, Israel has launched massive airstrikes against what it calls Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, killing more than 960 people and injuring over 2,770 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

Several Hezbollah leaders have been killed in the assault, including the group’s Secretary General, Hassan Nasrallah.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 41,600 people, most of them women and children, following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October.

The international community has warned that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could escalate the Gaza conflict into a wider regional war.