UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that Lebanon must not be allowed to become another Gaza, stressing that a full-scale war “must be avoided at all costs.”
Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East, Guterres urged an immediate end to hostilities and emphasised the importance of implementing Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701.
He called for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, while also highlighting the safety of UN personnel and the need for all sides to respect international law. Guterres condemned ongoing cross-border violence between Lebanon and Israel, noting violations of Resolution 1701, as well as the use of weapons by non-state armed groups, which breaches both Resolutions 1559 and 1701.
The escalating violence has forced nearly 200,000 people in Lebanon and over 60,000 in northern Israel to flee. Guterres stressed the importance of ensuring Lebanese sovereignty and reaffirmed UN support for strengthening the Lebanese Armed Forces.
He called for peace, pointing out that Israel’s airstrikes on Lebanon have killed 610 people and injured over 2,000. He also warned that the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel could expand the Gaza war regionally, which has already claimed over 41,400 lives.
