West Jerusalems attacks are killing civilians and undermining diplomacy, the British foreign secretary has said

Israeli attacks in Lebanon are killing civilians and must end, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said, after the Jewish state stepped up military activity against its northern neighbor.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has intensified airstrikes in recent days and moved deeper into Lebanese territory despite the ceasefire agreed in mid-April after more than a month of fighting.

On Sunday, Israeli troops seized Beaufort Castle, a 900-year-old Crusader fortress, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the military "to expand its ground maneuver" against Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

Netanyahu's order could further complicate indirect talks between the US and Iran, with peace in Lebanon being among Tehran's key demands for prolonging the truce with Washington.

In a post on X on Monday, Cooper said Israel's military escalation in Lebanon "has killed and displaced civilians, destroyed infrastructure, and eroded space for diplomacy. It must end."

She also called on Hezbollah to stop attacking Israel and lay down its arms.

"All sides must respect the ceasefire and engage with negotiations in good faith," the foreign secretary said.

German Foreign Minister Johannes Wadephul said in a statement on Sunday that the Israeli advances are a "cause for serious concern," warning that they could "exacerbate the already tense situation and trigger new waves of displacement within Lebanon."

At least 12 civilians were killed by IDF strikes in Lebanon on Sunday, according to Al Jazeera.

Data from the Lebanese authorities suggests that more than 3,400 people have been killed, around 10,000 wounded, and over 1.6 million displaced in the country since Israel launched its military operation against Hezbollah in early March, just days after the US-Israeli attack on Iran.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with both Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun by phone over the weekend in an attempt to push through a new proposal for a "gradual de-escalation" between Israel and Hezbollah. "This would create space for gradual de-escalation and an effective cessation of hostilities," Rubio said.

As a first step, Rubio's plan calls for Hezbollah to halt drone attacks on Israel, with the IDF refraining from escalating operations in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, in return, a source said.

READ MORE: Senior Israeli diplomat mocks France for calling UNSC meeting on Lebanon

According to the report, Aoun tried to advance the US proposal, but Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is close to Hezbollah, insisted the Israelis should stop "shooting first."

(RT.com)