Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (right) receives United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, on Friday. PIC/AFP
The UN will launch an urgent humanitarian fundraiser Friday to assist the more than 8 lakh people registered as displaced in Lebanon
"My strong appeal to those parties, to Hezbollah and to Israel, is for a ceasefire to stop the war and... allow Lebanon to become a country independent... where its authorities have the monopoly on use of force," Guterres said from the presidential palace, as Lebanon entered its 11th day of war. "This is no longer the time of armed groups. This is the time of strong states"
He noted that the war erupted as Muslims celebrate Ramadan and Christians observe Lent, saying it should have been a time of peace. "Unfortunately, Lebanon was dragged into a war that is not a war that its people would be willing to have," he said
Calling for an immediate end to hostilities across West Asia, the UN chief emphasised that diplomacy remains the only viable path forward
Meanwhile, Israeli planes dropped flyers over Beirut on Friday. Israel's Defence Minister said Lebanon will suffer increasing damage to its infrastructure as Israel targets Hezbollah, after the military destroyed a bridge over the southern Litani river.
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