UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the escalating conflict in the Middle East risks spinning beyond control, urging an immediate halt to hostilities and a return to diplomatic negotiations.
In a statement, Guterres said the growing number of military operations across the region is causing severe suffering for civilians and posing a serious threat to global economic stability.
“All the unlawful attacks in the Middle East and beyond are causing tremendous suffering and harm to civilians throughout the region and pose a grave risk to the global economy, particularly for the most vulnerable,” the UN chief said. “The situation could spiral beyond anyone’s control.”
He also expressed concern over the humanitarian impact of Israeli military operations in Lebanon, including ground incursions in the south, widespread displacement orders affecting residents in Beirut’s southern suburbs and the Bekaa Valley, and continued air strikes across the country.
“These developments are bringing more misery and suffering to an already exhausted civilian population,” Guterres said, stressing that the time had come to end the fighting and begin serious diplomatic talks.
US stance on Iran
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said Washington would only accept “unconditional surrender” from Iran as the United States and Israel continue their military operations against the country.
“There will be no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender,” Trump said in a post on the social media platform Truth Social, adding that after the conflict, the US and its allies would work to rebuild Iran’s economy.
Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Amir Iravani, rejected the demand, saying Tehran does not seek war but will defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Iran will take all necessary measures to protect its independence,” Iravani told reporters at the UN headquarters, urging the United Nations Security Council to condemn what he described as a war against the Iranian people.
Growing humanitarian crisis
Humanitarian agencies warned that the conflict is rapidly worsening conditions across the region. The International Organization for Migration said Israeli air strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs had intensified the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.
IOM Chief of Mission Mathieu Luciano said many emergency shelters in Beirut and Mount Lebanon were already full, forcing displaced people to move to alternative locations, including northern Lebanon and areas such as Al Qaa.
The UNHCR has classified the escalating crisis as a major humanitarian emergency requiring a coordinated regional response. According to UN officials, nearly 25 million people in affected areas are already refugees, internally displaced persons or recent returnees, placing additional pressure on fragile host countries.
Shipping disruptions and aid delays
The conflict has also triggered a major disruption to global shipping routes. Movement of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway responsible for transporting roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil, has slowed dramatically.
UN officials warned that the disruption is affecting humanitarian supply chains, delaying critical aid deliveries to crisis zones such as Gaza and Sudan.
According to Anne Schaefer, deputy director for humanitarian response at the International Organization for Migration, shipments of shelter materials, including tents and tarpaulins, are currently stalled due to shipping delays.
Aid deliveries to Sudan are particularly concerning as the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate ahead of the upcoming rainy season, which could make access to vulnerable communities in regions such as Darfur even more difficult.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said some emergency supply flights have resumed from Dubai, a major logistics hub for global humanitarian operations.
WHO regional director Hanan Balkhy said more than 50 emergency supply requests across 25 countries have been affected by the disruption, including in Lebanon, Yemen, and Somalia.