New York, April 1 (SANA) United Nations officials warned of a sharp deterioration in the situation in Lebanon amid escalating military exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah militia along the Blue Line and other areas, calling for an immediate halt to hostilities and renewed diplomatic efforts.
Khaled Khiari, UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, told a Security Council session that the situation in Lebanon is worsening rapidly within the context of broader regional escalation. He said both sides have expanded the scope and intensity of their operations, with heavy exchanges of fire along the Blue Line, Israeli strikes in multiple areas of Lebanon and ground incursions into Lebanese territory.
Khiari conveyed a message from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who stressed during a recent visit to Lebanon that “the Lebanese people did not choose this war, but were dragged into it,” adding that “there is no military solution to this crisis,” and that diplomacy, dialogue and full implementation of UN resolutions remain the only path to sustainable peace.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, said civilians are bearing the brunt of the fighting, noting that the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has also suffered casualties, including the deaths of three peacekeepers in a recent incident.
Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the Council via video link from Beirut that anxiety levels in the country have reached unprecedented levels. “Even now, the sounds of airstrikes can be heard in southern Beirut, alongside drones over surrounding neighborhoods,” he said, adding that humanitarian conditions have deteriorated significantly since his last briefing on March 11.
The briefing comes amid intensifying clashes as part of a wider regional escalation involving Israel and Iran-backed groups.
N.J/ A.B
