India on Friday expressed deep concern over civilian casualties in Lebanon following intensified Israeli strikes, calling the situation “very disturbing” and urging adherence to international law and protection of civilians.Speaking at an inter-ministerial briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi was closely monitoring developments in Lebanon, where escalating hostilities had led to significant loss of civilian life and raised fears of a wider regional spillover.“We are deeply concerned by reports of a large number of civilian casualties in Lebanon,” Jaiswal said, underlining India’s long-standing position that the protection of civilians must remain the foremost priority in any conflict.He said the government was taking steps to ensure the safety of Indian nationals in Lebanon. “Our Embassy in Lebanon remains in close touch with the Indian community for its safety and security,” Jaiswal added.The remarks came two days after Israel unleashed its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since the conflict began last month, despite a pause in attacks by the Iran-backed group under the ceasefire arrangement.Explosions rocked Beirut and other parts of the country as Israeli forces carried out what they described as the largest coordinated strikes of the war, targeting over 100 Hezbollah command centres and military installations across the capital, the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon.Lebanese authorities said at least 254 people were killed and hundreds injured in one of the deadliest days of the ongoing conflict, underscoring the rapidly deteriorating security situation.The escalation has exposed deep ambiguities in the scope of the ceasefire agreed between Washington and Tehran after nearly 40 days of intense hostilities that had pushed the region to the brink of a wider war.India, which contributes troops to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), said the unfolding situation was particularly worrying given its commitment to Lebanon’s peace and security. “As a troop contributing country to UNIFIL that is invested in Lebanon’s peace and security, the direction of events is very disturbing,” Jaiswal said.Reiterating its principled stance, India stressed the need to observe international law and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, even as tensions continue to mount across West Asia.The escalation in Lebanon comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions across the region, with recent Israeli operations and retaliatory actions by armed groups raising concerns over a broader conflict that could further destabilise already fragile supply chains and security dynamics.