The UN Security Council is set to convene for an urgent meeting Monday afternoon at the request of Russia, as the war in Gaza continues to fan tensions across the Middle East, with potentially dramatic consequences for regional peace and security. Follow developments live here.
3:05 PM
More attacks across Middle East fuel chances of miscalculation
The UN’s Political Affairs chief, Rosemary DiCarlo, is briefing ambassadors first. She said that as everyone in the diplomatic world is all too aware, “the tensions that have engulfed multiple countries in the Middle East continue to rise.”
She said the Secretary-General António Guterres had repeatedly warned about the risk of further military escalation “and miscalculation” since the Hamas terror attacks of 7 October set the region aflame.
“We have witnessed near daily incidents in the region. These include some 165 attacks on United States facilities in Syria and Iraq, prompting US strikes in the two countries”, Ms DiCarlo said.
2:45 PM
The meeting comes against the backdrop of a series of strikes by the United States on targets in Iraq and Syria on Friday.
The US alleges the sites were used by Iranian-backed militias to launch attacks on troops stationed in the region. Three US service members were killed in one such attack on their outpost in Jordan in late January and dozens were injured.
According to US military officials, more than 85 targets were struck in Iraq and Syria, including command, control and intelligence centres, munition and logistics supplies, and rockets, drones and missile sites.
The US has also been joined in recent days by the United Kingdom in what they describe as a defensive operation aimed at Houthi rebel targets in Yemen, which have been used to launch attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
