New York, September 08 (QNA) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his profound consternation Tuesday over the mounting Israeli military campaign in southern Lebanon, particularly in Nabatieh and its periphery.

Addressing a press stakeout in New York, Spokesman for the Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric said Guterres strongly deplores the spike in the number of civilian casualties due to the mounting Israeli offensives in southern Lebanon, recalling that these actions triggered evacuation orders, suffering and displacement, as well as poignant scenes of massive devastation.

The Secretary-General is specifically perturbed by the reportedly Israeli strikes that disrupted hospital operations and those of healthcare and public institutions, Dujarric said.

Dujarric added that the UN chief is deeply alarmed by the restrictions on access to life-saving humanitarian aid, stressing that civilians and civilian objects must be shielded at all times and that these targeted attacks are unacceptable.

He stated that Guterres calls on Israel to immediately halt these hostilities in the south and withdraw its troops from Lebanese territories, emphasizing that the UN is always committed to backing efforts aimed at ending the violence and protecting civilians, as well as lending impetus to a lasting resolution to the conflict.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that the escalation could force residents to flee their homes, with local authorities reporting that almost 5,000 families, comprising roughly 20,000 people, were displaced from the Nabatieh area last week, as healthcare services in the area face mounting pressure.

Still, the Israeli army continues its armed campaign in Lebanon, particularly in the southern areas, as the US-brokered ceasefire deal signed in mid-June 2026 didn’t pan out to restore de-escalation in the region. (QNA)