The government has expressed its concerns over the escalating tensions in the Middle East after cross-border attacks between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah.

The foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that South Korea has deep concern about the rapidly worsening situation in the Middle East, with the intensifying attacks between Israel and Hezbollah and the rapid increase in civilian casualties. 

The government called for strict adherence to international laws, including humanitarian law, to ensure the safety of civilians, while urging all parties involved to refrain from actions that could further aggravate the situation.

Tensions in the Middle East have heightened as the Israeli military launched massive attacks against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Monday and Hezbollah responded with a ballistic missile targeting the headquarters of Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence agency, in Tel Aviv.