UN envoy urges end to Israeli military actions in Syria

GENEVA -- The special envoy of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General for Syria on Tuesday urged Israel to cease its military operations in Syria, emphasizing the urgent need to halt all conflicts across the Middle East.

"A very troubling development is that we are continuing to see Israeli movements and bombardments into Syrian territory. This needs to stop," Geir Pedersen said at a press conference.

Pedersen emphasized that Syria is controlled by a patchwork of groups lacking formal unity, adding that the ongoing challenges with law and order require immediate attention.

He also called for broad representation of all Syrian factions in the country's political transition process. "There need to be inclusive arrangements that ensure the representation of the broadest possible spectrum of Syrian society and parties. If this does not happen, then there will be a new conflict in Syria," he warned.

Pedersen described Syria as being at a crossroads, with great opportunities but also great risks. Nobody could have foreseen some of the recent developments, and the situation is still moving fast, he added.