The UN has expressed deep concern over escalating hostilities in Lebanon following intensified Israeli airstrikes in southern Beirut and across southern parts of the country.
According to the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon ( UNIFIL ), approximately 670 projectile movements were recorded on Wednesday - the highest number since the cessation of hostilities took effect on 17 April.
The mission also reported increased ground and air activity by the Israeli military, including armoured vehicle movements and strikes north of the Litani River.
"We again urge all to respect the cessation of hostilities and stop any further attacks. We reiterate that civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be targeted. We condemn the loss of civilian lives" said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
Families displaced
The renewed violence has triggered new waves of displacement.
Evacuation orders issued over the past 48 hours have affected hundreds of thousands of people south of the Zahrani River. Collective shelters in Tyre and Saida are reportedly full.
The UN aid coordination office ( OCHA ) warned that families are once again being forced to flee their homes under "intolerable" conditions.
'Door remains open' to Israel says UN, following decision to sever ties with Secretary-General
The UN Spokesperson said on Thursday that the door will always remain open to Israel after its decision to "sever all ties" with the Secretary-General's office.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a tweet it was making the move in response to the reported decision to include the country on the list of State and non-State actors responsible for patterns of sexual violence in conflict in the UN chief's upcoming annual report to the Security Council on the issue.
Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon tweeted that adding Israel to a list that included Hamas militants marked a "new low".
The report has yet to be made public, but the foreign ministry described Israel's inclusion in the annex as "shameful and absurd", alleging that it was "yet another example of the UN's long-standing, institutionalised hostility towards Israel."
Engagement 'always a better solution'
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said he could not comment on the content of the report on conflict-related sexual violence.
"I can tell you from the Secretary-General's point of view, his door remains open to Israeli representatives, as to the other 192 Member States and the two Observer States."
He added that it was important for Member States to engage "and continue to engage. Not only with us but all the various mechanisms…to work together. I think engaging is always a better solution that disengagement."
Internal displacement continues to rise in Haiti
Internal displacement in Haiti continues to worsen, with nearly 1.5 million people uprooted nationwide as of May.
Since December 2025, violence has displaced nearly 95,000 additional people, including more than 300,000 in the Port-au-Prince area following armed clashes in Cité Soleil.
Fighting in the Artibonite department is also driving new displacement, and nearly 80 per cent of those forced out of their homes now live outside the capital.
The UN migration agency, IOM , reports that more than 165,000 people have returned to their communities, but many say conditions remain too unstable for sustainable reintegration.
Strained resources
Most displaced families are living with host communities or in precarious conditions, increasing pressure on already limited resources. Food, shelter, healthcare, water and sanitation remain among the most urgent needs.
Humanitarian partners continue to provide assistance despite insecurity, access constraints and funding shortages.
The $880 million Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti is only 23 per cent funded, with just under $199 million received.
UN independent experts warn France over prison overcrowding
Independent torture prevention experts have urged France to take urgent action to address severe prison overcrowding, warning that conditions in some facilities may amount to inhuman or degrading treatment under international law.
The UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture concluded its first visit to France after inspecting 18 places of detention from 17 to 23 May.
"Prison overcrowding is one of the most pressing challenges observed during this visit," said Suzanne Jabbour, head of the delegation, adding that it "directly undermines the fundamental rights of prisoners."
Calls for reform
The experts called on French authorities to adopt structural and sustainable reforms, and to create a formal mechanism to follow up on recommendations from France's national prison monitoring body.
Jabbour warned that "recommendations only matter if they lead to action," adding that without a clear state commitment, torture prevention will remain out of reach.
The Subcommittee will send France a confidential report with its findings and recommendations, while encouraging the Government to authorize its publication.
