Russia Warns Israel about Attacks on Syria

In a discussion of recent Israeli airstrikes, Lavrov expressed his concerns on Tuesday, emphasizing that the spread of conflict to other Middle Eastern countries is "unacceptable."

Lavrov conveyed these sentiments during a phone call with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, as per a readout by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

"The ministers pointed to the risk of external forces’ attempts to turn the Middle East in the current explosive situation into an arena for settling political accounts," the ministry noted. "They called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, addressing humanitarian problems stemming from the hostilities and discussing a long-term settlement by political and diplomatic means on the basis of international law."

The phone call also addressed the issue of Israeli airstrikes, which have intensified amid the events surrounding the Gaza Strip.

Mekdad initiated the call to discuss the situation in Gaza, along with various bilateral matters and the ongoing efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict. 

Over the past month, Israel has conducted multiple airstrikes in Syria, resulting in the temporary closure of airports in Aleppo and Damascus. The Israeli ambassador to Germany acknowledged one of these attacks.

The Israeli regime prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, previously noted "hundreds" of strikes on Syria over the past decade. Despite Damascus's repeated protests against the violation of Syrian sovereignty, the situation remains unresolved.

Both Lavrov and Mekdad concurred on the urgent need to halt the bloodshed in Gaza and address the humanitarian challenges arising from the ongoing conflict.

Russia has characterized Israel's response to Gaza as an unacceptable form of "collective punishment" against innocent civilians.