As Israel followed up its remote bombings of communications devices in Lebanon with airstrikes on Beirut, the United Nations Security Council held an emergency session Friday during which officials urgently called for an immediate cease-fire and warned that the Middle East is on “the brink of catastrophe.”

“We risk seeing a conflagration that could dwarf even the devastation and suffering witnessed so far,” U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo told representatives of the 15-member Security Council (UNSC) during the session.

“It is not too late to avoid such folly. There is still room for diplomacy,” DiCarlo stressed. “I also strongly urge member states with influence over the parties to leverage it now.”

Officials voiced alarm over this week’s remote bombings of pagers, walkie-talkies, and other devices Israel said belonged to members of Hezbollah, the Lebanese political and paramilitary group, which killed at least 37 people including two children and wounded thousands more. While Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attacks, U.S. officials have attributed the attacks to their key ally.

“These attacks represent a new development in warfare, where communication tools become weapons,” U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk told the council.

Attacks in Lebanon represent new development in warfare, where communication tools become weapons, simultaneously exploding across marketplaces & homes........

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