"The government of Lebanon has banned Hezbollah, is taking action, is trying to take action against Hezbollah and their terrorist activities and their threats to Israel, and that is the purported justification for this invasion," Carney told journalists at an event in Wakefield, Quebec.

"So we condemn it," he said.

Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, drew Lebanon into the war by launching attacks on Israel to avenge the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Israel has responded with broad strikes across Lebanon and a ground offensive.

Carney's comments came as the United Nations Security Council was to hold an urgent meeting over the recent deaths of three UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, possibly by Israeli fire.

The UN aid chief warned Tuesday that southern Lebanon could become another occupied territory in the Middle East after Israel reiterated threats to seize the area following its war with Hezbollah.

Lebanese authorities say more than 1,200 people have been killed since the hostilities began.