UN Security Council to meet Friday over Lebanon situation

(Patria) - The UN Security Council will meet on Friday due to explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon targeting the militant group Hezbollah.

- The meeting was requested on behalf of Arab states by Algeria, said Slovenian Ambassador to the UN Samuel Žbogar.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned yesterday that the pager explosions indicate a serious risk of dramatic escalation in Lebanon and that everything must be done to avoid such escalation.

- The logic is clearly that the explosions of communication devices serve as a preemptive strike before a major military operation, Guterres told reporters on the eve of the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly.

He also added that it is very important that civilian facilities are not armed.

- Guterres calls on all interested parties to exercise maximum restraint to prevent further escalation, said his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.