UN Security Council to hold emergency session on Lebanon, Israel

HAMILTON, Canada

The UN Security Council will convene in an emergency session Wednesday to discuss escalating tensions between Lebanon and Israel.

The Permanent Mission of Switzerland, who assumed the term presidency of the council today, announced that the session will take place at 10 a.m. New York time.

The session, requested by France, will begin in an open format and then continue in a closed format for consultations among member states.

The council had also convened on Sept. 20 and 24 for emergency sessions to discuss the situation in Lebanon.

Tensions are running high in the Middle East following Iranian attack on Israel on Tuesday night.

Israel reported that Iran had launched about 200 missiles in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Israel had targeted Nasrallah and other Hezbollah commanders in an airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sept. 27.

Haniyeh was killed in a strike during a visit to Tehran in late July.