China has called on the United Nations Security Council to take ‘urgent action’ to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East after Israel launched fresh air strikes on Lebanon.

The Security Council bears the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security,’ Xinhua quoted China’s Permanent Representative to the UN Fu Zong as saying, adding that all parties concerned should ‘return to the path of political and diplomatic solutions’.

Any negative hesitation would be irresponsible, and any talk of further military adventurism would send the wrong message,’ Fu warned.