The Brazilian government has condemned the attacks launched by Lebanese militants in northern Israel, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

In a statement, Brazil urged both sides to avoid new attacks and observe relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Hezbollah guerillas, a Lebanese armed group, killed six Israeli soldiers in a missile attack on an Israeli base. In a separate operation, they kidnapped two other Israeli soldiers.

Israel responded by bombing southern Lebanon, and is reportedly preparing a military invasion into Lebanese territory, a move which has not been made for more than five years.

"The Brazilian government remains concerned over the escalation of violence in the region, which could seriously compromise the prospects of restarting the peace process," the statement said.

"The Brazilian government calls on all the parties involved to exercise the greatest possible restraint... and to avoid being mired in a renewed cycle of violence, whose victims will be their respective civilian populations," it said.

The statement also sent condolences to the victims' families and urged the kidnappers to free the captured Israeli soldiers swiftly and unconditionally.

Source: Xinhua