UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern on Sunday about the “significant increase in the exchange of fire along the Blue Line” and urged Israel and the Lebanese group Hizbullah to “immediately” de-escalate.

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In a statement by his spokesman, Guterres also called for “immediate détente and the parties to return urgently and immediately to a cessation of hostilities and fully implement UN Security Council resolution 1701,” adopted in 2006.

Resolution 1701 calls on Israel and Lebanon to support a ceasefire and a long-term peace agreement, as well as the need for comprehensive, just and lasting peace throughout the Middle East.

In this regard, the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCO) and the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) called on Israel and Hezbollah on Sunday to cease fire amid an exchange of cross-border attacks between the two sides.

In a statement today on the exchanges of fire across the Blue Line, @antonioguterres called for immediate de-escalation and on the parties to urgently and immediately return to a cessation of hostilities and fully implement resolution 1701 (2006). https://t.co/fpLUCYhcz9 pic.twitter.com/mLISEfVKTd

— UN Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (@UNDPPA) August 25, 2024

UNIFIL and UNSCO through a statement expressed deep concern over the recent developments along the so called Blue Line which separates Israel and Lebanon as called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and “refrain from further escalatory action.”

“A return to the cessation of hostilities, followed by the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701, is the only sustainable way forward,” the entities said.

Israel bombed southern Lebanon with more than 100 fighter jets to thwart an alleged “imminent attack” by Hizbullah, which managed to fire some 300 shells at the Jewish state in the largest escalation between both sides in nearly two decades.

Hizbullah today began its reprisal for the assassination of its top commander, Fuad Shukr, by launching rockets and drones against northern Israel and has already concluded the operation “for today” and said it has been a “first phase” response to the death of Shukr.

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