MOSCOW: Russia has held Israel responsible for the potential escalation of tensions in the Middle East following the assassination of Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah. In a press release, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated, "Moscow strongly condemns the political assassination of the Hezbollah leader carried out by Tel Aviv and holds Israel fully accountable for the escalation that may result from this action." The statement further urged Israel to halt military hostilities immediately and pursue a diplomatic solution to the ongoing conflict. Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA