"We troop contributing countries to the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, joined by several other member states, express our deep alarm at the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon," Jerome Bonnafont, the French ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters in New York.

"Faced with war, Lebanon must be supported. Its sovereignty and territorial integrity must be preserved. We express our full solidarity with Lebanon and the Lebanese people," he added in the joint statement.

Lebanon was drawn into the war last week when Iran-backed Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.

Bonnafont said the countries he represented, including France, Britain, Germany, India and Korea, "condemn in the strongest terms" Hezbollah's attacks.

He spoke as the Security Council was to meet at the UN headquarters to discuss the uptick in fighting in Lebanon, which has left 570 people dead, according to the country's health ministry.

Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon said Wednesday that Israeli forces will continue to operate in Lebanon "as long (as) there will be a threat against us."

"Israel does not want to be operating, but Israel will not accept rockets fired at our people, and we will do whatever is necessary to stop them," Danon told reporters.