Foreign Minister Penny Wong has warned that “Lebanon cannot become the next Gaza” in the wake of a two-day bombardment that has killed hundreds and forced thousands more to flee.

Senator Wong, who is currently in New York for United Nations talks, said civilians were being killed by the Israeli strikes on Lebanon and that it was “women and children who are paying the highest price” in the cross-border conflict.

Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes since Monday, resulting in more than 560 deaths, including 50 children, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

The Israeli military on Wednesday said a senior Hezbollah commander was among those killed in an air strike on the country’s capital Beirut.

A military spokesperson also said that a Hezbollah missile reached the Tel Aviv area “for the first time ever”, before it was intercepted.

Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim militant group and political party, with the most powerful armed force in Lebanon. It is listed as a terrorist organisation by Australia and the United States.

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“The global community is clear, this destructive cycle must stop. All parties must show restraint and de-escalate,” Senator Wong said in a statement on Wednesday.

“What has happened in recent days only makes an immediate ceasefire in Gaza even more urgent.”

The comments represent a ramping up of language, a day after the foreign minister warned Australians currently in Lebanon that the federal government may not be able to assist everyone hoping to leave the region under the threat of all-out war. 

Instead, she urged Australians to return while there were still commercial flights available. 

Leave by ‘whatever means’, Wong urges

Senator Wong on Wednesday reiterated those calls for the thousands of Australians living in Lebanon to leave the country by “whatever means, commercial means, available”.

“Even if it’s not to your preferred destination, we would urge people to leave,” she told 7.30.

“We’ve already seen civilian casualties, and we know about the risk of escalation. This is why, as I said, we’ve been urging people to leave for some time.”

At last estimate, the government believed there were at least 15,000 Australians in Lebanon, but the real figure could be as high as 30,000 as many regular visitors don’t notify the Australian government.

Australia’s official travel advice for Lebanon has remained at do not travel since Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

“I know there are so many people in Australia who have relatives, friends and family in Lebanon, and this is obviously a very stressful situation for them,” Senator Wong added.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council said they would meet urgently to discuss the escalating conflict.

“Lebanon is at the brink. The people of Lebanon, the people of Israel, and the people of the world cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told world leaders at this week’s general assembly meeting. 

At least 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October last year, according to Palestinian health authorities, and another 92,000 have been injured.