UN chief asks Hezbollah, Israel to de-escalate tensions as threats to regional stability grow

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has asked Israel and Hezbollah to immediately de-escalate the situation that is threatening regional security and stability, according to his Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

The two sides raised the level of confrontation yesterday with Israel launching air attacks on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and the group retaliating with rocket attacks.

The Secretary-General called for immediate de-escalation and on the parties to urgently and immediately return to a cessation of hostilities and fully implement resolution 1701 of the Security Council demanding an end to hostilities in the area.

UNIFIL, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and the Indian peacekeepers deployed with it are caught between Israel and Hezbollah, a Shia Muslim party with its own strong militia, entrenched on the opposite side in Southern Lebanon.

As Hezbollah prepared to avenge the killing of its founding leader Fouad Shukur by Israel in Beirut last month, Israel launched a wave of pre-emptive air strikes with about 100 jets against what it said were missile and rocket positions in Lebanon.

Hezbollah retaliated with a fusillade of 321 rockets and drones against what it said were military positions in Israel and Israel-occupied Syrian territory of the Golan Heights.