On Tuesday, Israel sharply criticized UN Secretary-General António Guterres over his comments on the Gaza conflict. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant accused the UN of failing to prevent Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel’s northern borders, AFP reports.

“The nightmare you speak of is a reality. The reality is that Hezbollah has taken Lebanon hostage, and the UN fails to recognize this or fulfill its core duties: to prevent Hezbollah’s attacks and enforce Security Council Resolution 1701,” Gallant wrote on social media platform X.

Resolution 1701 was passed in 2006 to end the war between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah. Gallant emphasized that the UN is not doing enough to ensure compliance with this agreement.

Meanwhile, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, stated that Israel has “no intention” of launching a ground invasion into Lebanon, preferring diplomatic solutions. “We have experience with Lebanon (in 2006). We don’t want a ground invasion. I don’t want to send my son there. We don’t want to send our boys to fight in a foreign country,” he said. However, Danon also warned that Israel is determined to protect its civilians.

The conflict along Israel’s northern borders has escalated, forcing approximately 90,000 Israelis to leave their homes due to fears of war with Lebanon. At the same time, tens of thousands of Lebanese civilians are fleeing areas targeted by Israeli airstrikes, which have resulted in nearly 560 deaths and over 1,800 injuries.