Antonio Guterres has called for an international diplomatic effort to prevent a broader regional conflict.
United Nations:
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Israel's twin attacks, which killed senior leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah in a 24-hour period, a “dangerous escalation” and called for an international diplomatic effort to prevent a broader regional conflict.
“The international community must urgently work together to prevent actions that could push the entire Middle East over the edge, with devastating consequences for civilians,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN chief, said on Wednesday.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in a brutal attack in Iran on Wednesday during his visit to new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Hamas said.
Shortly before that, Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was killed in an airstrike in Beirut.
“The Secretary-General believes that the attacks we have seen in southern Beirut and Tehran represent a dangerous escalation at a time when all efforts should lead to a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all Israeli hostages, a massive increase in humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza, and a return to calm in Lebanon and along the Blue Line that separates Lebanon from Israel,” Dujarric said.
While Guterres called for maximum restraint, that alone is not enough “at this extremely sensitive time” and he “calls on everyone to work vigorously towards de-escalation in the region,” the spokesman said.
Iran's UN mission warned of escalation, writing in an X message: “The response to an assassination will indeed consist of special operations – more severe and designed to instill deep remorse in the perpetrator.”
While the Israeli military confirmed that it had taken out Shukr, Israel remained silent on Haniyeh’s killing. This is a serious setback for ceasefire efforts in Gaza, as the Qatari-based leader was a key negotiator with Israel over a ceasefire and the return of hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack.
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