Lebanon's prime minister voiced concern Wednesday about "escalating" Israeli war threats, and said his government will support the Shia Muslim group Hezbollah if a new war breaks out with the Jewish state.

Saad Hariri's comments come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following some of the sharpest exchanges in years between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

It also comes in the context of improved relations between Hariri's Western-backed coalition and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah since the two sides were forced to coexist in a fragile national unity government formed in November. The cabinet includes two ministers from the militant group, which fought Israel to a standstill in a month-long war in 2006 and clashed with supporters of Hariri in 2008.

"We hear a lot of Israeli threats day in and day out," Hariri said in an interview posted on the BBC's website. "Every day we have Israeli warplanes entering Lebanese airspace. This is something that is escalating, and this is something that is really dangerous."

Lebanon, which has a notoriously fractious political system, would unite if there were a fresh conflict with the Israelis, he said.

CBC News