UN Calls for Immediate De-escalation Amid Intensified Israel-Hezbollah Conflict

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon are urging de-escalation after Israel's heaviest airstrikes in nearly a year of conflict with Hezbollah. The conflict, sparked by the Gaza war, has intensified significantly, resulting in multiple casualties and mass evacuations. The UN Security Council is set to meet to address the situation.

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon have called for an immediate de-escalation as hostilities continued along the Lebanese-Israeli border on Friday. This follows Israel's most intense airstrikes in nearly a year of conflict with the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

On Thursday, Israel's military announced it had struck hundreds of Hezbollah rocket launchers aimed at Israel. Security sources in Lebanon described it as the most severe attack since hostilities began last October. The recent conflict escalation has left Hezbollah suffering substantial casualties and has led to widespread evacuations on both sides of the border.

The UNIFIL peacekeeping force reported a significant increase in hostilities over the previous 12 hours. The U.N. is now urging immediate de-escalation across the heavily contested Blue Line, the border separating Lebanon and Israel. The United Nations Security Council is slated to meet on Friday to discuss the situation.

(With inputs from agencies.)