UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged the international community to prevent escalation in the Middle East, following an Israeli strike on Lebanon's capital and the reported killing of a top Hamas leader 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.
Escalating tensions
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, which killed 12 civilians, mainly children and teenagers.
On Wednesday morning, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, allegedly in an Israeli strike.
Restraint alone is not enough
Mr. 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 urges 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," his statement concluded.
The UN Security Council in New York is set to meet at 4 PM on Wednesday to debate the crisis.
