Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned on Wednesday that the ongoing war in the Middle East could represent a “much worse scenario” than the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Speaking before parliament, Sánchez said: “This is not the same scenario as the illegal war in Iraq; we are facing something far worse, with potentially broader and deeper consequences.”

He added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears intent on inflicting a similar level of destruction in Lebanon as seen in Gaza, amid escalating military operations.

Sánchez’s remarks reflect growing European concern over the widening conflict and its potential global repercussions.