UN chief warns against Lebanon becoming ‘another Gaza’

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued a stark warning that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah should not lead to Lebanon becoming “another Gaza.”

Guterres pointed out the heightened “bellicose rhetoric” from both sides, which has been accompanied by almost daily exchanges of fire across the Israel-Lebanon border, parallel to the war in Gaza. He emphasized that such actions could trigger an unimaginable catastrophe.

“Let’s be clear: The people of the region and the people of the world cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza,” Guterres stated in a press briefing.

With Israel and Hezbollah continuing their cross-border exchanges, the risk of a broader regional conflict is increasing. This concern was heightened after Israel disclosed its approval of plans for a potential offensive in Lebanon, and Hezbollah, backed by Iran, threatened to launch extensive rocket attacks on Israel.

“The risk for the conflict in the Middle East to widen is real — and must be avoided,” Guterres stressed.

“One rash move –- one miscalculation — could trigger a catastrophe that goes far beyond the border, and frankly, beyond imagination,” he warned.

Guterres noted that the violence along the Blue Line, the U.N.-defined boundary between Israel and Lebanon, has resulted in numerous deaths and thousands of displacements, with both sides exchanging fire and ramping up their aggressive rhetoric as though an all-out war were imminent.

He highlighted the destruction of homes and livelihoods, and the bushfires caused by explosions that are further harming communities and the environment.

Furthermore, Guterres called for Israel and Hezbollah to urgently resume the cessation of hostilities as mandated by a 2006 Security Council resolution, which ended a previous war between the two.

“The cessation of hostilities and progress toward a permanent ceasefire is the only durable solution,” he asserted.

Guterres also mentioned that U.N. peacekeepers are actively working on the ground to de-escalate tensions and prevent miscalculations in this highly volatile situation.

“The United Nations fully supports diplomatic efforts to end the violence, restore stability, and avoid even greater human suffering in a region that has seen far too much,” the secretary-general concluded.