UN chief warns Iran war 'out of control,' world staring down barrel of wider conflict

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Wednesday that the Iran war has spun beyond all boundaries, declaring the conflict "out of control," cautioning that the world faces the prospect of a far broader confrontation. "More than three weeks on, this war is out of control," Guterres told reporters at a news conference at UN headquarters in New York, adding that "the conflict has broken past the limits even leaders thought imaginable." "The world is staring down the barrel of a wider war, a rising tide of human suffering, and a deeper global economic shock," he said, stressing that it "has gone too far." Calling for an end to the military escalation, Guterres said. "It is time to stop climbing the escalation ladder and start climbing the diplomatic ladder, and return to full respect of international law." Also Read: Iran rejects US proposal, outlines five conditions to end war Pointing to the key parties involved in the war, he said, "My message to the United States and Israel is that it is high time to end the war as human suffering deepens, civilian casualties mount, and the global economic impact is increasingly devastating." Guterres urged Iran to end attacks on the Gulf countries, arguing that they "are not parties to the conflict." Highlighting the economic ripple effects of the war, Guterres said, "The prolonged closure of the Strait (of Hormuz) is choking the movement of oil, gas, and fertilizer at a critical moment in the global planting season." The UN chief turned his attention to Lebanon and said, "Israel must stop its military operations and strikes in Lebanon, which are hitting civilians the hardest," adding, "The Gaza model must not be replicated in Lebanon." Iranian missiles, drones rain down on Gulf countries as tensions spike Missiles and drones rained down on Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain on Wednesday as Iran continued its retaliatory strikes against the ongoing US-Israeli attacks on the country. The Saudi Defence Ministry said in a statement that air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and 31 drones over the Eastern Province. The Civil Defence said debris from the intercepted missile fell on two homes, including one under construction, causing limited property damage. No casualties were reported. In Kuwait, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said drones targeted a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, sparking a fire at the site. Initial reports indicated only material damage from the attack. Kuwait’s National Guard said it shot down one drone and five unmanned aerial vehicles in areas under its protection. In Bahrain, the Interior Ministry said warning sirens sounded, without giving further details. It urged residents to remain calm and move to the nearest safe location. Kuwait responds to fuel tank fire at Kuwait International Airport targeted by ‘hostile drones’ Kuwaiti authorities on Wednesday said they are responding to a fire at a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport after it was targeted by “hostile drones.” In a statement carried by the Kuwait News Agency, a Fire Force spokesperson said firefighting teams, supported by the army, National Guard and oil sector units, are working to contain the blaze. Emergency teams also dealt with four separate fires at different locations triggered by falling debris, he added. Separately, a Defence Ministry spokesperson said air defences detected 20 ballistic missiles and nine hostile drones over the past 24 hours, with no casualties reported. He said 13 missiles and six drones were destroyed, while two drones struck the airport fuel tank, igniting the fire now being contained. A National Guard unit also destroyed one drone and five additional unmanned aircraft within its operational areas, the spokesperson said. Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said that it summoned Iran’s ambassador, Mohamad Toutonji, for the third time since the onset of Iranian attacks on February 28, handing him a formal protest note over the continued strikes. In a statement, the ministry said the summoning follows the targeting of fuel tanks at Kuwait International Airport, which it said constitutes a “grave violation” of international humanitarian law and noted that the airport is a civilian facility. The ministry strongly condemned the attack, describing it as “a blatant violation” of its sovereignty, territorial integrity and airspace, as well as a breach of international law, the UN Charter and principles of good neighborliness. It called for an immediate halt to the attacks, holding Iran fully responsible for their consequences, and reaffirmed Kuwait’s right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. Saudi Arabia downs 28 drones, ballistic missile in Eastern Region Saudi Arabia said it shot down 28 drones and a ballistic missile targeting the country’s Eastern Region. In statements posted on the US social media company X early Wednesday, the Saudi Defense Ministry said the aerial threats were detected and destroyed by air defense systems before reaching their targets. No information was provided on the source of the attacks. The US and Israel have been carrying out airstrikes on Iran since February 28, killing more than 1,340 people so far. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel along with Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.