TEHRAN, Oct. 01 (MNA) – Russia urged Israel to "immediately" pull its troops out of southern Lebanon on Tuesday, after the Israeli military claimed its troops entered southern Lebanon.

"Russia strongly condemns the attack on Lebanon and calls on the Israeli authorities to immediately cease hostilities, withdraw their troops from Lebanese territory and engage in a real search for peaceful ways to resolve the Middle East conflict," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Israel claimed that has launched a ground operation across its northern border into Lebanon, opening a new and dangerous phase in almost a year of war, according to CNN.

The latest escalation comes after Israeli regime killed Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike on Friday.

MNA/