Kombos backs Lebanese sovereignty, calls for immediate de-escalation

Foreign minister Constantinos Kombos reaffirmed support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in a telephone conversation with his Lebanese counterpart Youssef Raghi, urging “immediate de-escalation by all parties”.

According to his statement issued on social media on Wednesday, their contact centred on halting hostilities and protecting civilians amid ongoing Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory.

Kombos stressed “the imperative need to protect civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law,” while reiterating Cyprus’s position in support of Lebanon’s sovereign integrity and right to security.

The intervention comes as Israel insists that its campaign in Lebanon remains outside the scope of the US-Iran ceasefire, maintaining that its operations against Hezbollah constitute “a separate conflict.”

This position has been rejected by Lebanon, which has called for a comprehensive ceasefire covering all fronts.

In parallel talks with Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar, Kombos urged that the ceasefire be fully implemented “across the region, including Lebanon, from all sides,” warning that failure to do so undermines efforts to stabilise the situation.

“The ceasefire creates space for comprehensive dialogue and effective diplomacy,” he said.

Kombos also earlier held discussions with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, calling for “a path for meaningful dialogue towards a comprehensive peace” and stressing that “freedom of navigation and the protection of civilians” must be upheld under international law.

The ceasefire, brokered with Pakistani mediation, was intended to create a temporary pause in hostilities between Washington and Tehran.

However, its limited scope and continued fighting in Lebanon have exposed its fragility and raised concerns over wider escalation.

Iran has warned it may withdraw from the agreement if attacks on Lebanon persist and has linked its participation in further talks to a ceasefire covering all fronts.

Tehran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, warning vessels could be “targeted and destroyed” without authorisation.