EU leaders caution against further military interventions between Israel and Hezbollah

European Union foreign ministers are calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and have expressed support for UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.

“Arms should now be silenced, and the voice of diplomacy should speak and be heard by all,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tells reporters after chairing an emergency meeting.

“The sovereignty of both Israel and Lebanon has to be guaranteed,” Borrell says. “Any further military intervention would dramatically aggravate the situation and has to be avoided.”

Borrell says ministers of the 27-nation EU discussed the need for increased humanitarian aid and close coordination “to be prepared for any emergency situation.”

Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, says he and his counterparts discussed possibly evacuating European nationals from Lebanon.

Both underline the importance of the peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL. “The safety and security of UN peacekeepers is paramount,” Borrell says.