UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed deep concern over escalating Israeli military attacks in southern Lebanon, particularly in and around Nabatieh, and condemned mounting civilian casualties and displacement.
In a statement on Tuesday, Guterres’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the UN chief was alarmed by reports of Israeli strikes affecting hospitals, healthcare workers and public institutions, as well as restrictions on humanitarian access.
Guterres stressed that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times, calling attacks against them “unacceptable”.
He appealed for an immediate cessation of hostilities and called on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanese territory, urging all parties to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and their obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
The statement came after three days of intensified Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon that killed 27 people and wounded 69 others, including children, women and paramedics, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
Israel has carried out attacks on Lebanon since March 2, killing at least 4,381 people and wounding 12,402, while displacing more than 1 million people, according to Lebanese authorities.
Israel also continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some of which have been held for decades and others seized during the 2023-2024 war.
