Carnage and destruction in Lebanon are "horrific," UN rights chief says
- 24 hours ago
- 1 min read
GENEVA, April 8 - U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned Israeli strikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, saying the scale of killing and destruction was putting severe strain on an already fragile push to contain the regional conflict.
Türk’s comments came after a wave of Israeli attacks that Lebanon’s Health Ministry said killed at least 112 people and wounded hundreds more across the country, adding to an already heavy toll since the war began.
The latest violence unfolded amid conflicting accounts over whether Lebanon was covered by the temporary ceasefire announced in connection with the confrontation between the United States and Iran, exposing uncertainty over the scope of the arrangement at a critical moment.
Pakistan, which helped mediate with Iran, said Lebanon was included in the ceasefire, while Israel and the White House said it was not.
The Israeli military said it had carried out 100 strikes targeting Hezbollah command centres and military sites, describing the operation as its largest coordinated attack in Lebanon since the conflict began.
The strikes, launched without warning, left residents of Beirut and other areas facing renewed fear, according to Lebanese authorities.
Before Wednesday’s attacks, at least 1,530 people had been killed and 4,812 wounded in Lebanon since the start of the war, according to figures issued by the Health Ministry on Tuesday.
Türk said international humanitarian law required all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and called for prompt and independent investigations into alleged violations, with those responsible brought to justice.
