United Nations, Sep 18 (Alliance News): Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, has called for calm following a series of attacks across Lebanon that resulted in at least nine deaths, including children, and left thousands injured, many critically.
The coordinated attacks reportedly targeted the Hezbollah group, with hundreds of electronic pagers belonging to its members detonating simultaneously.
Hezbollah has vowed revenge, blaming Israel for the explosions amid escalating tensions.
“The developments today mark an extremely concerning escalation in what is an already unacceptably volatile context,” Hennis-Plasschaert stated. She reminded all parties involved of their obligations under international law to protect civilians, stressing that “even one civilian casualty is one too many.”
The Special Coordinator urged all parties to refrain from further actions or inflammatory rhetoric that could escalate the situation into a larger conflict. She emphasized the urgency of restoring calm and prioritizing stability, noting that “too much is at stake to do anything less.”
In response to the emergency, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) in Lebanon tweeted that it is assisting hospitals due to the surge in injuries from the pager detonations.
The WHO has also provided trauma and medical supplies to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health to support ongoing healthcare needs.
