Most UN Security Council members denounce Israel's military escalation in Lebanon

Most UN Security Council members on Monday condemned Israel's expanding military actions in Lebanon, while the United States refrained from criticizing Tel Aviv and instead directed its fire exclusively at Hezbollah and Iran.

French UN envoy Jerome Bonnafont said they called for an emergency session "in response to the major escalation currently underway, and the significant expansion of Israeli military operations in Lebanon, despite the ceasefire that entered into force on the 17th of April under the auspices of the United States."

Bonnafont criticized Tel Aviv and warned that a new occupation would only deepen the conflict.

"Far from bringing security to Israel and its citizens, a new occupation risks only fueling instability, because every village bombed and destroyed, every civilian killed strengthens Hezbollah and weakens the Lebanese executive," he said.

He added that "no security consideration can justify a permanent infringement upon the sovereignty of a state."

Russia's UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia drew parallels between Israeli military acts in Lebanon and the situation in Gaza, saying Lebanon is seeing "an almost identical replay of the scenario of clearing the Gaza Strip with the establishment of large-scale occupation control and the forced displacement of the local population."

He demanded an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces, warning that without it, "it will be impossible to achieve a genuine ceasefire," and linked the Lebanese crisis to broader regional tensions, arguing that "the deterioration of the situation in Lebanon was a direct result of the unjustified aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran."

China's UN envoy Fu Cong noted that Israel has "crossed the Litani River and occupied Balfour Castle," calling it "Israel's deepest military incursion in Lebanon in more than 20 years," and said Israel's stated plans to further expand ground operations are "deeply concerning to the international community."

The UK's Charge d'Affaires James Kariuki condemned what he called "reckless and disproportionate escalation of Israeli military action" that has "exacerbated an already devastating environment for Lebanese civilians," while maintaining that US-brokered talks "are the only viable path towards a lasting political settlement and the disarmament of Hezbollah."

US envoy Mike Waltz offered a sharply different framing, crediting President Donald Trump's personal leadership and placing the blame entirely on Hezbollah and Iran while making no mention of Israeli violations.

"Both de-escalation and peace will come quickly if Hezbollah immediately ceases its attacks, as apparently it's promised, and the government of Lebanon asserts its full sovereignty, rebuilds, and brings its people home," he said.

Waltz described Washington as backing Lebanon's government in its effort to "free their country from a terrorist organization that answers to Tehran," and laid out what he called a clear path to peace: "Hezbollah stops attacking Israel, the Lebanese armed forces and the legitimate government of Lebanon assert control over Lebanese territory, and Iran stops using Lebanon as a forward operating base."