Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati confirmed Thursday Lebanon's rejection of "any military escalation" from its territory, hours after Israel announced the firing of at least 34 rockets from southern Lebanon towards it, accusing Palestinian groups of being behind it.

Mikati stressed in a statement, after receiving Italian Defense Minister Guido Cruzetto, "Lebanon's condemnation and denunciation of the missile launch from southern Lebanon," explaining that his country "absolutely rejects any military escalation emanating from its land and the use of Lebanese territory to carry out operations that destabilize the existing stability."