Sistani, in a statement on his website, called for "the exercise of every possible effort" to end this "barbaric aggression and to protect the Lebanese people".

Sistani, 94, urged "believers" to "contribute towards easing the suffering" of the Lebanese people and help "meet their humanitarian needs".

Such comments from Sistani are relatively rare.

In August he urged an end to the "genocidal war" in Gaza and warned over the risk of a regional escalation with potentially "catastrophic consequences", following the killing of two Iran-backed militant leaders.

His new statement came during intense Israeli bombing of Lebanon, which Beirut said had killed 100 people and wounded more than 400 in the south of the country.

Iraq's government is dominated by pro-Iran parties, and have strong ties with Lebanon and the pro-Tehran Shiite Hezbollah movement.