Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council meeting on Lebanon, in New York today:
Hell is breaking loose in Lebanon. As I told the General Assembly yesterday, we should all be alarmed by the escalation. Lebanon is at the brink.
Of course, the Blue Line has seen tensions for years. But, since October 2023, exchanges of fire have expanded in scope, depth and intensity.
Hizbullah and other non-State armed groups in Lebanon and the Israel Defense Forces have exchanged fire on an almost daily basis – with Hizbullah indicating that they would require a ceasefire in Gaza to cease hostilities.
The exchanges of fire have been in repeated violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006). The daily use of weapons by non-State armed groups is in violation of Security Council resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006).
Lebanese sovereignty must be respected and the Lebanese State must have full control of weapons throughout Lebanese territory. We support all efforts to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Since October 2023, nearly 200,000 people within Lebanon and over 60,000 from northern Israel have fled their homes. Many lives have been lost. All this must stop.
The communities of northern Israel and southern Lebanon must be able to return to their homes, and live in safety and security, without fear.
Since the emergency Council session on Lebanon on 20 September – in the wake of the remote detonation of pagers and hand-held radios used by Hizbullah across Lebanon – hostilities have escalated dramatically.
The past weekend saw heavy exchanges of fire endangering civilians on both sides of the Blue Line – with Israel Defense Forces striking approximately 400 Hizbullah targets in Lebanon, while Hizbullah launched hundreds of missiles, rockets and drones into northern Israel.
Monday was the bloodiest day in Lebanon in a generation. The Israel Defense Forces said that it struck some 1,600 Hizbullah targets. Many civilians were killed, and many, many more were injured. Since then, Israel continued its deadly strikes across Lebanon, including in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health reported that 569 people were killed on Monday and Tuesday – including 50 children and 94 women. Over 1,800 people were injured. Lebanese authorities report a total of 1,247 deaths since October 2023. Two colleagues from UNHCR [Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees] were among those killed in yesterday’s bombing.
Today, further strikes killed at least another 50 people and injured more than 200. Meanwhile, roads are clogged as families desperately seek safety. Many are stranded at the Beirut airport.
The Ministry of Interior of Lebanon has reported that over 90,000 people have fled southern and eastern Lebanon towards Beirut and the north-west, with 30,000 people in shelters.
At least $170 million is needed to respond to growing numbers of displaced and mounting humanitarian needs. The people of Israel have endured also repeated attacks from Hizbullah and others.
According to Israeli officials, since last October, more than 8,300 rockets, around 1500 anti-tank missiles and hundreds of explosive unmanned aerial vehicles have targeted Israel — with 49 Israeli deaths and hundreds injured.
Hizbullah continues to launch drone and increasingly high calibre missile and rocket attacks on military targets and residential areas in Israel.
Earlier today, they launched a ballistic missile targeting Mossad headquarters near Tel Aviv.
The ongoing rocket attacks have injured several people in Israel, with homes and other structures damaged.
Diplomatic efforts have intensified to achieve a temporary ceasefire – allowing for delivery of humanitarian relief and paving the way for the resumption of more durable peace. We fully support these efforts.
Earlier this week, the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon – Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert – travelled to Israel for consultations, underscoring that military escalation is in no one’s interest.
The Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL – General Aroldo Lazaro – has continued his close engagement with the parties, supporting humanitarian access wherever possible and continuing to urge immediate de-escalation.
Despite the dangerous conditions, our peacekeepers remain in position. To mitigate the risk to Mission personnel, most civilian personnel have temporarily relocated north of the Litani River. A few critical staff members remain in the Mission’s area of operations, together with the blue helmets.
I want to reiterate our sincere gratitude to our peacekeepers – civilian and military – who serve along the Blue Line, as well as to all the troop-contributing countries.
I implore the Council to work in lock-step to help put out this fire. The parties must immediately return to a cessation of hostilities and take real action towards full implementation of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006).
Civilians must be protected. Civilian infrastructure must not be targeted. The safety and security of all UN personnel and assets must be ensured. International law must be respected.
To all sides, let us say in one clear voice: Stop the killing and destruction. Tone down the rhetoric and threats. Step back from the brink.
An all-out war must be avoided at all costs. It would surely be an all-out catastrophe. The people of Lebanon – as well as the people of Israel – and the people of the world – cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza.
