Pope Francis expressed concern on Sunday that Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Lebanon have been “immoral” and excessive, noting that their military operations have surpassed acceptable war standards.
While returning from Belgium, Francis was asked about Israel’s assassination of one of Hezbollah’s founding leaders, Hassan Nasrallah.
The attack, carried out on Friday in Beirut, devastated multiple residential buildings and caused at least six additional deaths.
Though Francis didn’t explicitly mention Israel, he emphasized that military defense must be proportional to the attack. He warned that when military actions exceed proportion, it reflects an immoral dominance, regardless of the country involved.
He added that, despite war being inherently immoral, there are guidelines meant to maintain some ethical boundaries. Ignoring those rules leads to harmful consequences, he said.
Nasrallah’s death has had major repercussions in Lebanon and the broader Middle East, where he was a significant political and military figure for over 30 years.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden called the Israeli strike a justified response to Hezbollah’s history of terrorism.
Pope Francis, who has been vocal since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, has repeatedly called for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and humanitarian aid for Gaza. He also mentioned that he regularly checks on the well-being of the Catholic community in Gaza.
