Austria’s foreign ministry on Thursday called on Israel to stop attacking civilian targets in ​Lebanon, and said the Austrian members of a ‌UN peacekeeping force there must be protected.

Austria has in recent years been one of Israel’s staunchest political supporters in ​the European Union.

“Israel must immediately stop its ​military operations against civilian targets and infrastructure in ⁠Lebanon,” the ministry said in response to a ​question from Reuters.

Israel on Wednesday conducted its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since the conflict with Iran-backed Hezbollah flared up again last month, even as France, Britain and the EU said a two-week truce ​between Iran and the US should also cover ​Lebanon.

Neutral Austria contributes about 160 soldiers to a 7,500-strong UN ‌peacekeeping ⁠force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). They belong to a unit performing tasks like transporting goods and personnel, repairing vehicles, supplying fuel and firefighting.

The ministry said it was extremely ​concerned about ​the conflict ⁠between Israel and Hezbollah, and “the humanitarian catastrophe, with more than one million displaced ​people.”

“The protection of the civilian population and ​of ⁠the Austrian UNIFIL contingent is our top priority,” it added.

Instead of calling for the US-Iran ceasefire to be ⁠extended ​to Lebanon, it said a ​way back must be found to a November 2024 ceasefire between ​Israel and Hezbollah.