Egypt condemned today, Monday, "in the strongest terms the escalation of the Israeli forces' aggression against the sisterly Lebanese Republic, and its deliberate and systematic targeting of vital civilian facilities and infrastructure, including bridges connecting Lebanese regions, in a flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty and a grave breach of international law and the United Nations Charter."

It reaffirmed in a statement "its steadfast and supportive position for the unity of the Lebanese state, its sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and its full solidarity with its institutions in this delicate circumstance," calling for "full compliance with the implementation of Security Council Resolution No. 1701 in all its provisions and elements without selectivity, ensuring that the Lebanese state institutions, foremost among them the Lebanese army, can fulfill their responsibilities and extend their sovereignty over all Lebanese territories, placing weapons under their exclusive authority."

Israeli artillery. (AFP)

It considered that "the deliberate destruction of infrastructure in Lebanon represents an overt Israeli policy of collective punishment, leading to the forced displacement of about a million Lebanese and emptying entire regions of their inhabitants."

It emphasized "its condemnation of employing the humanitarian crisis and the suffering of civilians as a tool for military and political pressure."

It called for "the urgent need for the international community, foremost the Security Council, to act immediately to deter these rampant and aggressive Israeli practices without further deterioration in the security and humanitarian situation, and to spare Lebanon the risk of sliding into further instability."