UN secretary-general urges Israel to halt military operation in southern Lebanon

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged Israeli authorities to halt the military operation in southern Lebanon, pointing to the growing number of civilian casualties caused by the hostilities.

This was stated in a statement from Guterres' office.

"The Secretary-General expresses deep concern over the escalation of the Israeli military operation in southern Lebanon, especially in the area of Nabatieh. He condemns the growing number of casualties among the civilian population. <...> The Secretary-General calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities," the statement notes.