UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for urgent action to prevent an “all-out war” in Lebanon, condemning an attack by Israeli forces that injured two UN peacekeepers in the country’s south.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday after discussions with Southeast Asian leaders at the ASEAN summit in Laos, Guterres emphasized that such incidents must not occur again.
“This incident is intolerable and cannot be repeated,” Guterres stated, referring to the shooting incident involving a UNIFIL watchtower in Naqoura. The attack, which involved an Israeli tank, wounded two Indonesian peacekeepers. “I condemn the fact that there was a shooting against a UN premise, wounding two peacekeepers, which is a violation of international humanitarian law.”
Guterres highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting the potential for greater conflict. “We see an enormous tragedy unfolding in Lebanon, and we must do everything to avoid an all-out war,” he said.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), with approximately 10,000 personnel stationed in southern Lebanon, confirmed the attack on Thursday, raising concerns about the risk of further escalation.
