UN Security Council Convenes as Lebanon Death Toll Surges Past 620 in Three Days of Israeli Bombardment

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has urgently appealed to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to intervene as Israel’s relentless bombardment of Lebanon continues, claiming the lives of over 620 people in just three days, Al Jazeera reports.

The plea came during an emergency UNSC meeting called by France on Wednesday, where French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna announced joint efforts with the United States to seek a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

The escalating violence has seen a horrifying death toll, with Wednesday alone witnessing the deaths of 72 people, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described Wednesday as the “bloodiest day in Lebanon in a generation,” with a staggering 492 fatalities reported on Monday alone, including 35 children.

The intensified Israeli attacks on Lebanon coincide with the approaching one-year anniversary of Hamas’s attacks on Israel on October 8th, and the ongoing war on Gaza, which has entered its 12th month with no end in sight.

Amidst this escalating conflict, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to arrive in New York on Thursday to address the UN General Assembly. He is anticipated to justify his far-right government’s military operations in both Gaza and Lebanon.