GENEVA

The UN human rights chief urged all states with influence to take "immediate measures" on Wednesday to avert a further widening of escalation after simultaneous pager explosions occurred in Lebanon and Syria.

"Widespread simultaneous explosions across Lebanon and in Syria yesterday, where detonating pagers killed at least 12 people – including two children – and left thousands of people injured, are shocking, and their impact on civilians unacceptable," Volker Turk said in a statement. "The fear and terror unleashed is profound."

"At this extremely volatile time, I appeal to all States with influence in the region and beyond to take immediate measures to avert further widening of the current conflicts – enough of the daily horrors, enough of the suffering," said Turk.

He stressed that it is "high time" that leaders step up in defense of the rights of all people to live in peace and security, and the protection of civilians must be the paramount priority.

"De-escalation is today more crucial than ever," he said.

Targeting thousands of individuals simultaneously, whether civilians or armed group members, without knowing who was in possession of the targeted devices, their location and their surroundings breaches international human rights law and, where relevant, international humanitarian law, he said.

Turk underscored the need for an independent, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of the mass explosions and accountability for those who ordered and conducted the operations.

The mass explosion of pagers came amid an exchange of cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel against the backdrop of a brutal Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 41,200 victims, mostly women and children, following a Hamas attack last October.