Pope Francis on Wednesday (25) called Israeli attacks on Lebanon a “terrible escalation” of the conflict in the Middle East at the end of his weekly general audience at the Vatican, which took place two days after he canceled the meetings because of a mild flu.
The pope said the strikes, in which Israel says they are hitting targets affiliated with the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, were “unacceptable” and called on the international community to do everything possible to stop the fighting.
Francis did not specifically identify Israel, but said he was “saddened by the news from Lebanon in recent days that the bombings have caused much destruction and many victims.”
The 87-year-old pontiff, who has suffered from health problems in recent years, appeared to be in good shape during his audience, although he coughed slightly a few times as he spoke.
The Vatican has not provided details about the pope’s health since announcing Monday (23) that he had canceled his meetings that day. At the time, the Vatican said the pontiff made the decision as a precautionary measure ahead of a trip to Luxembourg and Belgium that begins on Thursday (26).
This content was originally published in Pope Francis calls airstrikes on Lebanon “unacceptable” on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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