UN Secretary-General condemns Israel’s strikes on Beirut

United Nations, June 15 (IANS) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned Israeli strikes earlier on Sunday on Beirut, Lebanon’s capital.

The strikes took place despite the ceasefire and at a time when the United States and Iran are expected to reach an agreement that will pave the way to a peaceful resolution of this conflict, the UN chief said in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

“This conflict is having a devastating impact on the world’s economy,” he added.

“I urge all parties to show maximum restraint at this crucial moment and I strongly hope for a successful outcome of the ongoing efforts by the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Guterres said.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that following its attack against a Hezbollah command center in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday, it is preparing for possible fire into Israel within hours.

The statement added that the IDF remains on high alert, ready for both defensive and offensive scenarios.

The preparation follows a situation assessment conducted by Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir, with all relevant commanders, it noted.

Following the developments, the IDF’s Home Front Command announced a gathering restriction across the country to a maximum of 5,000 people.

This resulted in the cancellation of huge stadium concerts scheduled for Sunday evening in the Tel Aviv area.

Additionally, on Monday, Iran warned that any further Israeli “aggression and malicious acts,” including in southern Lebanon, would trigger a much more “severe and crushing” response from Tehran.

Following the fresh Israeli attack on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on social media platform X that Israel’s new “aggression” against Beirut once again demonstrated that the United States lacks either the will or the ability to fulfil its commitments.

“The bad cop and good cop game has become outdated. If you lack the will and ability to fulfill your commitments, speaking of continuing the path is not possible,” Ghalibaf added.

–IANS

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