Beirut/Tel Aviv, 22 September 2024 (dpa/MIA) - The United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, has warned that the Middle East is facing a catastrophic situation, stating that the region is "on the brink of an imminent catastrophe."

She said: "It cannot be overstated enough: there is no military solution that will make either side safer."

Hennis-Plasschaert’s remarks referred to the ongoing exchanges between Israel's army and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which continued through the night.

Both sides have engaged in some of the most intense shelling since their renewed confrontations began nearly a year ago.

The UN observer mission UNIFIL has been monitoring the Israel-Lebanon border since 1978. Last month, three UNIFIL soldiers were slightly injured by an explosion near their vehicle in southern Lebanon.

The mission currently involves around 10,000 troops and 800 civilians. Since its inception nearly 50 years ago, more than 300 UN peacekeepers have lost their lives.