UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has painted a dark picture of the situation in the Middle East, warning that spiralling tensions over the fighting in Gaza and Iran’s attack on Israel could devolve into a “full-scale regional conflict”, AFP reports.

Guterres also said Israel’s military offensive on Hamas in the Gaza Strip had created a “humanitarian hellscape” for civilians trapped in the besieged Palestinian territory.

“The Middle East is on a precipice. Recent days have seen a perilous escalation — in words and deeds,” Guterres told the Security Council. “One miscalculation, one miscommunication, one mistake, could lead to the unthinkable — a full-scale regional conflict that would be devastating for all involved,” he said, calling on all parties to exercise “maximum restraint”.

“It is high time to end the bloody cycle of retaliation,” he said. “It is high time to stop.” “The international community must work together to prevent any actions that could push the entire Middle East over the edge, with a devastating impact on civilians. Let me be clear: the risks are spiralling on many fronts.”