UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday warned that spiraling tensions over the conflict in Gaza and Iran's attack on Israel could devolve into a "full-scale regional conflict."

Guterres also said Israel's military operation on Hamas in Gaza, in retaliation for their October 7 attack on Israel, had created a "humanitarian hellscape" for civilians trapped in the region.

"The Middle East is on a precipice. Recent days have seen a perilous escalation – in words and deeds," Guterres told the UN Security Council.