UN Chief urges end to 'dangerous cycle of retaliation' in Middle East
Shafaq News/ On Friday, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need to halt what he described as the "dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East."
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the Secretary-General, stated in a press release, " The Secretary-General reiterates that it is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East."
He added that "the Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond."
Guterres had warned on Thursday of the risk of a "comprehensive regional conflict."
With the Middle East "on a precipice," he appealed for maximum restraint, warning against the far-reaching consequences.
"One miscalculation, one miscommunication, one mistake, could lead to the unthinkable – a full-scale regional conflict that would be devastating for all involved – and for the rest of the world," he said.
Guterres reiterated his "strong condemnation" for Iran's large-scale attack on Israel on Saturday and an earlier assault on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which Tehran attributed to Israel, saying, "It is high time to end the bloody cycle of retaliation."
Stressing that the international community must work together to prevent any actions that could push the entire Middle East over the edge, he highlighted the need for diplomacy that would lead to de-escalation, starting with Gaza.
Guterres urged Israel to "take immediate steps to end the unprecedented levels of settler violence, hold perpetrators to account, and protect the Palestinian population from attacks, violence and intimidation."
Regarding the situation in Lebanon, the Secretary-General said that efforts towards regional de-escalation must also address the "extremely fraught situation in Lebanon," particularly along the Blue Line, which marks the frontier between south Lebanon and northern Israel.
"Exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah are exacting a mounting toll on civilian communities in Israel and Lebanon. Dozens of civilians have been killed and tens of thousands displaced on both sides of the Blue Line," he said, appealing for restraint.
He also drew attention to the crisis in the Red Sea, where Houthi in Yemen continue to attack merchant and commercial ships, disrupting global trade.
Earlier today, Israel launched an attack on Iran following Tehran's recent retaliatory drone strike on Israel, further heightening the already volatile situation in the region.
Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, believed to be Israeli, near an army base in the central city of Isfahan. The incident triggered air defense systems, leading to explosions in the area.
An Iranian official confirmed to Reuters there was no missile attack, and the explosions were the result of the activation of Iran's air defense systems.
Iran's space agency spokesman Hossein Dalirian said "several" drones had been "successfully shot down," adding, "There are no reports of a missile attack for now."
Israel has yet to comment on the attack, but many US outlets, including CNN, ABC, and CBS News, quoted American officials saying that an Israeli attack had taken place.
The United States and European countries had urged Tel Aviv to refrain from retaliating after Iran's earlier attack, highlighting the broader international concern over the potential escalation of conflict in the region.
Reports of the explosions came hours after Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned in a CNN interview that any additional Israeli military action against Iran would prompt an immediate and maximum-level response.
"If the Israeli regime makes the grave error once again, our response will be decisive, definitive, and regretful for them." He said.
