LONDON 

The EU is "appalled" by Israel's Thursday airstrikes in eastern and southern Lebanon which reportedly killed tens of people, the bloc's foreign policy chief said.

Josep Borrell expressed concern over Thursday's Israeli airstrikes, stressing that the respect of international humanitarian law is "not negotiable."

"We call once again for an immediate ceasefire & symmetrical implementation of UNSCR (UN Security Council Resolution) 1701," he wrote on X.

Israeli warplanes early Thursday carried out a series of airstrikes across Lebanon, including on Beirut's southern suburb near the airport.

The Israeli air campaign in Lebanon has been ongoing since late September against what it claims are Hezbollah targets, an escalation in year-long cross-border warfare since the start of the Gaza war.

More than 3,000 people have been killed and over 13,500 injured in Israeli attacks since October 2023, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Israel launched a ground invasion into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.