UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Wednesday of a “serious risk of dramatic escalation” in Lebanon following the detonation of pagers across the country.
The blasts, which killed at least 12 people, including children, and wounded thousands, were triggered by the detonation of devices linked to Hezbollah members, who have blamed Israel for the incident.
Guterres emphasized the seriousness of the situation, not only due to the number of victims but also because the event suggests a potential preemptive strike ahead of a major military escalation.
He called for immediate efforts to prevent further escalation.
The pager blasts occurred amid heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, which have been engaged in cross-border hostilities since the Gaza conflict escalated in October of last year, resulting in the deaths of over 41,200 people, mostly women and children.
