The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency session on Thursday following an incident where Israeli forces fired upon United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon. The attack resulted in injuries to two UN peacekeepers, as confirmed by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, expressed deep concern over the escalating tensions in the region. “The conflict in Lebanon, coupled with intensified strikes in Syria and the raging violence in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, points to a region dangerously teetering on the brink of an all-out war,” she stated.
Recent developments in Lebanon, including intensified exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel’s ground operations in Lebanon, have precipitated a “humanitarian emergency,” she added.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, warned of the dire humanitarian situation unfolding. “Israel’s ground operations and intense air bombardment across Lebanon have left much of southern Lebanon now uninhabited and increasingly uninhabitable,” he said. “The safety and security of peacekeepers is now increasingly in jeopardy.”
Lebanon’s representative to the UN condemned Israel’s actions, stating that the attempted invasion violated the UN Charter and Security Council Resolution 1701. He called on the council to condemn the act and adopt a resolution to halt Israeli operations.
In response, Israel’s delegate asserted that Israel would continue its operation to degrade Hezbollah’s capabilities and diminish what it termed its “terror network” in southern Lebanon.
The incident has drawn international attention and condemnation. Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry denounced the Israeli attack on UN peacekeepers in the country’s south, with reports of a new attack occurring on Friday, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a stern warning to Israel, emphasizing that such incidents must not recur. “There was naturally a reaction from many sides in solidarity with the peacekeepers that were wounded and in telling Israel very clearly that this incident is intolerable and cannot be repeated,” Guterres said after meeting with Southeast Asian leaders at a summit in Laos.
The situation in Lebanon adds to the growing instability in the Middle East, raising concerns among international observers about the potential for wider conflict. The UN continues to call for restraint and adherence to international law to prevent further escalation.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
