ISTANBUL

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday spoke by phone with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani about the escalating hostilities in the Mideast.

The two discussed the "urgent need" to halt the current military escalation and return to dialogue "in the interest of regional stability," the UN said in a statement.

Guterres condemned the recent attacks on Qatar as a violation of the country's "sovereignty and territorial integrity," and reaffirmed Qatar's standing as a "strong and valued partner" of the United Nations.

Qatar said earlier Monday that its air defenses had shot down two SU-24 aircraft coming from Iran and intercepted seven ballistic missiles and five drones launched toward the Gulf state.

The attacks on Qatar are part of Iran's broader response amid the ongoing joint US-Israeli offensive, which since Saturday has killed several senior Iranian officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran has since struck multiple Gulf states hosting US military assets.