The United Nations secretary-general called for an immediate end to the exchanges of fire along the border separating Israel and Lebanon. He spoke before members gathered for a closed Security Council session, emphasizing that the region faces a critical moment. World organizations have been closely monitoring the situation as tensions flare on multiple fronts.
Incoming briefings suggest that participants in the meeting will review the latest developments across the Middle East. In advance of the discussion, the UN chief cautioned that rapid hostilities between Israeli and Lebanese armed forces risk triggering broader instability and humanitarian suffering.
“This must stop,” the secretary-general urged during remarks to reporters, underscoring the human costs and the need for de-escalation to protect civilians.
In his conversations with the press, the UN head highlighted the severe strain on Gaza’s healthcare system. He noted that medical facilities are overwhelmed by casualties and disrupted by ongoing airstrikes, risking a collapse of essential services for those in need.
On October 13, the Israeli military reported that a drone operated by its forces targeted Hezbollah positions on Lebanese soil. The defense ministry released a statement via its Telegram channel indicating these strikes were directed at sites within Lebanon, though further details about the broader regional situation were not disclosed at that time.
Earlier, White House officials in Washington stated that they did not observe indicators of third-party powers preparing to intervene in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, signaling an assessment of restraint from outside actors at that moment.