ISTANBUL

A top Vatican official on Wednesday called on the US and Israel to end the war in the Middle East.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin told reporters that he would tell US President Donald Trump “to put an end to it as soon as possible, because the real danger is that an escalation is just around the corner. I would say: leave Lebanon alone,” according to Vatican News.

He said the same message should also be delivered to Israel, calling on them to “resolve any problems that may exist—or that they believe exist—through the peaceful paths of diplomacy and dialogue.”

Hostilities have raged since Israel and the US launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, so then killing around 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.