UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged the international community to prevent escalation in the Middle East, following an Israeli strike on Lebanon’s capital and the killing of the chief of Hamas Political Bureau Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. “The Secretary-General believes that the attacks we have seen in South Beirut and Teheran represent a dangerous escalation at a moment in which all efforts should instead be leading to a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all Israeli hostages, a massive increase of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza and a return to calm in Lebanon and across the Blue Line,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
“Rather than that, what we are seeing are efforts to undermine these goals,” he added. On Tuesday, Israeli launched an airstrike on the densely populated southern suburb of Beirut which reportedly targeted a senior Hizbollah commander, Fuad Shukr, who was killed, according to media reports. This followed a rocket attack on a football field in the Israeli-occupied Golan on Saturday.
On Wednesday morning, Haniyeh, the Hamas political leader, was assassinated in Tehran, reportedly in an Israeli strike.
Dujarric said the Secretary-General has consistently called for maximum restraint by all, adding “it is increasingly clear, however, that restraint alone is insufficient at this extremely sensitive time.” The UN chief urged all to vigorously work towards regional de-escalation in the interest of long-term peace and stability for all, he said.
“The international community must work together to urgently prevent any actions that could push the entire Middle East over the edge, with a devastating impact on civilians. The way to do so is by advancing comprehensive diplomatic action for regional de-escalation,” the statement concluded.
The UN’s top envoy in the Middle East also expressed profound concern over the recent developments which he said “may have far-reaching implications for the region”.
In a series of posts on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Tor Wennesland called for restraint and avoiding actions that could further destabilize the region. The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process said he is contact with all relevant parties to work towards defusing tensions, and the goal is clear - regional de-escalation, including achieving a ceasefire and the release of all hostages in Gaza, and working towards a lasting piece.
The UN Security Council in New York is set to meet this afternoon to debate the crisis.