The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, put a group of prominent regional issues on the table for discussion, which included the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and navigation security, in addition to the situation in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon, stressing his categorical rejection of targeting civilian installations and ships, and praising the role of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
In an interview with Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath channels, Guterres strongly condemned the Houthi attacks targeting infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, describing the targeting of Saudi ships as “completely unacceptable.” This position comes in light of escalating tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, and growing international concerns about the security of vital sea lanes, especially Bab al-Mandab and the Red Sea.
The Secretary-General stressed the need to ensure freedom of navigation in accordance with the rules of international law, warning that the ongoing tensions in sea lanes constitute a direct threat to global trade, supply chains, and regional stability.
Regarding the Palestinian file, Guterres stressed the importance of moving forward with the implementation of the plan to end the war in Gaza, and its full implementation based on Security Council Resolution No. 2803 of 2025, ensuring the stabilization of the ceasefire and supporting the subsequent political path. He also reiterated that the continued Israeli occupation and settlement expansion undermine the chances of achieving a two-state solution, considering ending the occupation and establishing two independent states as the only way to settle the conflict.
On the Syrian level, Guterres indicated that Syria had made “significant progress during the recent period,” echoing the UN assessment issued on September 17, which acknowledged the existence of “important progress” in the transitional phase despite the continuing challenges of building institutions, expanding political participation, transitional justice, recovery and reconstruction. It is noteworthy that Guterres visited Syria last July, during which he met with President Ahmed al-Sharaa and a number of officials and representatives of civil society, stressing the international organization’s support for a Syrian-led political transition path.
Regarding the Lebanese issue, Guterres praised the “very positive” role played by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in the south of the country, in light of the recurring field tensions, stressing the United Nations’ commitment to the necessity of respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and fully implementing Resolution 1701.
