UN calls situation in Lebanon “extremely worrying” after Hezbollah searches explode

September 17 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The United Nations on Tuesday described the situation in Lebanon as “extremely worrying” after at least eight people were killed and more than 2,800 injured in an apparently coordinated explosion involving hundreds of beeper devices belonging to the Shiite militia-party Hezbollah.

UN Secretary-General’s spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said in a press conference that recent events in Lebanon are taking place against an “extremely volatile” backdrop in the region, with the Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip and the crossfire between Israel and Hezbollah.

“We cannot stress enough the risks of escalation in Lebanon and the region,” he said, adding that both Secretary-General António Guterres and his envoys on the ground have reiterated to the parties to reduce tensions.

Dujarric also deplored the loss of life as a result of this incident, for which both the Lebanese government and Hezbollah have blamed Israel, although the Israeli authorities have not commented on the matter.

Explosions have also hit Syria, where Hezbollah militants have been admitted to hospitals with injuries in several areas, including Damascus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an organization with sources on the ground.