UN calls for immediate de-escalation as Israel and Hezbollah clash intensifies

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 on Sunday, 25 August with Israel launching air attacks on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and the group retaliating with rocket attacks.

Dujarric said, "The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the significant increase in the exchanges of fire across the Blue Line."

"These actions put both the Lebanese and Israeli populations at risk, as well as threatening regional security and stability."

The Blue Line separates Israel and Lebanon and 895 Indian peacekeepers are deployed with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) that patrols it.

"The Secretary-General calls 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 and the UN's Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) said in a joint statement that implementing the resolutions "is the only sustainable way forward".

The two UN outfits said, "In light of worrying developments across the Blue Line since the early morning, UNSCOL and UNIFIL call on all to cease-fire and refrain from further escalatory action."

"We will continue our contacts to strongly urge for de-escalation," their statement said.

UNIFIL and the Indian peacekeepers deployed with it are caught between Israel and Hezbollah.

As Hezbollah prepared on Sunday 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.

Three Hezbollah members and an Israeli soldier were killed before the latest round of confrontation ended with the militia announcing that it was concluding its operations for the day.

The escalation on Israel's northern borders coincided with Israeli attacks in Gaza even as intense diplomatic efforts by the US, Egypt, and Qatar were taking place in Egypt for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages taken by Hamas when it struck Israel in October.

Israel, however, continued its airstrike in Gaza on Sunday, 25 August.