As world leaders gathered in New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly, UN Security Council member France called for an emergency meeting on the crisis engulfing the Middle East. Meanwhile, Israel announced dozens of new air strikes on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon Tuesday, a day after 492 people, including 35 children, were killed in the deadliest bombardment since a devastating war in 2006.
"I have requested that an emergency meeting of the Security Council be held on Lebanon this week," newly appointed French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, calling on all sides to "avoid a regional conflagration that would be devastating for everyone," especially civilians.