Europe Asia News

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres made a statement regarding the escalation of Israel's military operations in southern Lebanon.

Guterres said civilian casualties had increased as a result of the operations and that evacuation orders had led to the displacement of civilians and large-scale destruction. Emphasizing that civilians and civilian objects must be protected under all circumstances, Guterres said attacks against civilians are unacceptable.

Calling for an immediate end to the clashes, Guterres urged Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory. Stating that the Lebanese state should be the sole authority entitled to use force, Guterres called on all parties to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Guterres said the UN would continue to support efforts to end the violence, protect civilians and find a lasting solution to the conflict.