Israel bars UN secretary general from entering country after his 'failure to call out Iran'

Jerusalem: Israel's foreign minister said on Wednesday that he was barring UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from entering the country because he had not "unequivocally" condemned Iran's missile attack on Israel.

Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday amid an escalation in fighting between its proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel. Many were intercepted mid-air but some penetrated missile defences. No casualties were reported.

Guterres on Tuesday issued a brief statement referencing only the "latest attacks in the Middle East" and condemning the conflict "with escalation after escalation". Earlier on Tuesday, Israel had sent troops into south Lebanon.

Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz, said Guterres' failure to call out Iran made him persona non grata in Israel.

"Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack on Israel, as nearly all the countries of the world have done, does not deserve to set foot on Israeli soil," Katz said.

"Israel will continue to defend its citizens and uphold its national dignity, with or without Antonio Guterres." (Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch Editing by Peter Graff and Angus MacSwan)