Italy is working tirelessly to de-escalate the "worrying" situation in the Middle East, foreign minister Antonio Tajan said on Thursday after a second wave of deadly devices exploded in southern Lebanon, where Israel also bombed, claiming it had foiled an Iran-backed assassination plot.
"We are worried about the worsening situation in the Middle East. This evening I will be in Paris to take stock. The quintet is meeting," Tajani told his conservative Forza Italia party.
"We'll see if any steps can be taken. We continue to work together for peace, a ceasefire and the release of the hostages," Tajani said.
Tajani referred to nearly 100 hostages still believed to be in the Gaza Strip since militant Islamist group Hamas launched a cross-border attack on 7 October last year, abducting over 250 people according to Israel.
The Hamas rampage triggered Israel's unrelenting war in Gaza which has escalated in the region, drawing in Iran and its allies including armed group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Wednesday was the deadliest day of in the almost year-old conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, when hundreds hand-held radios used by the group detonated across southern Lebanon, killing 20 and injuring at least 450. A day earlier, thousands of pagers exploded, killing 12 including a child and wounded over 2,000.
Israel has not commented directly on the attacks, which were carried out by its spy agency Mossad, according to multiple security sources.
