According to IRNA reporter, Rosemary DiCarlo, told the Security Council on Wednesday local time that various attacks over the past few days indicate a serious and dangerous escalation of tensions “amid the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, the hostage crisis and a catastrophic humanitarian situation for Palestinians in Gaza”.
The UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace and Political Affairs also highlighted some of the recent heinous crimes committed by the Zionist regime, adding that the UN chief "has consistently called for maximum restraint. However, it is increasingly clear that restraint alone is not enough at this critical time."
The following is the full text of Rosemary DiCarlo’s briefing to the US Security Council.
Mr. President, Members of the Security Council,
Once again, the Council is holding an emergency meeting to discuss alarming developments in the Middle East. This is just a little over a week after I briefed on the Houthi attack on Tel Aviv and Israel’s strikes in response that targeted Hudaydah.
Earlier today, we all saw the news that Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas’ political bureau, was killed, together with a bodyguard in Tehran. Mr. Haniyeh had been in Tehran, at the invitation of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new president, H.E. Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian.
In a letter to the Security Council president today, Iran accused Israel of carrying out an attack that killed Mr. Haniyeh and claimed it was a “serious infringement” of Iran’s sovereignty and territory integrity and constituted a “blatant violation” of international law.
Iran’s Supreme Leader and other senior officials have vowed to avenge Mr. Haniyeh’s death, warning Israel of “harsh punishment… intended to instill deep regret in the perpetrator.” Various non-state armed groups aligned with Iran across the region have also threatened to retaliate against Israel.
In a live broadcast to the nation a few hours ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had launched strikes against three fronts, including against Hamas, Hizbullah, and the Houthis, in recent days. He emphasized that Israel was fighting an existential war with Iran.
Mr. President,
Today’s strike in Tehran follows in the wake of several recent escalatory events in the region. While violence continues unabated in Gaza after months of relentless diplomatic efforts, the situation across the Blue Line and inside Lebanon is on an increasingly worrying path.
Since I last briefed you on 22 July, the negative trajectory has continued. In a tragic incident on 27 July, 12 children were killed, and dozens injured in an apparent strike on a soccer field in the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan.
According to Israel Defense Forces, an Iranian-made Falaq-1 rocket was fired by Hizbullah from north of Shebaa village in southern Lebanon. Hizbullah denied responsibility for the strike. The strike followed months of increasingly intense exchanges across the Blue Line with Lebanon and hundreds of aerial attacks toward Israel from various locations across the region that Israel has attributed to Iran-backed forces.
On 30 July, the Israel Defense Forces issued a statement claiming a “targeted strike” in Beirut on a Hizbullah commander allegedly responsible for the deaths in Majdal Shams.
Hizbullah confirmed that a senior commander, Fuad Shukr, also known as Hajj Mohsin, was killed.
According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, at least five people were killed, including two children, in the attack and many more injured.
Mr. President,
The various attacks over the past few days represent a serious and dangerous escalation.
They take place amidst the ongoing war in Gaza, where Hamas continues to hold hostages abducted from Israel on 7 October, amid continued hostilities and a catastrophic humanitarian situation for the Palestinian population in the Strip.
Most recently on 27 July, a devastating Israeli strike, killing dozens, including children, took place on a school in Deir Al Balah where thousands of displaced Palestinians were sheltering. This was yet another reminder of the terrible toll of the war on civilians.
Earlier today, an Al-Jazeera journalist and his cameraman were killed reportedly by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza while they were reporting from Haniyeh’s home.
Mr. President,
Allow me to reiterate the Secretary-General’s words from today. The Secretary-General has “consistently called for maximum restraint by all. It is increasingly clear, however, that restraint alone is insufficient at this extremely sensitive time.”
Diplomatic efforts to change the trajectory and seek a path toward regional peace and stability are urgently needed. Communication by means of missiles, armed drones and other deadly attacks must end.
I echo the Secretary-General’s “call for all to vigorously work towards regional de-escalation in the interest of long-term peace and stability for all.”
The international community must work together to prevent any actions that could make the conflict much bigger and wider very quickly. We need swift and effective diplomatic action for regional de-escalation. This Council plays a crucial role in this regard. The time is now.
Thank you, Mister President.
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