Pope Leo XIV at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, on Nov. 26, 2025. (Credit: Remo Casilli/Reuters)
Five days before his arrival in Beirut, as part of his first apostolic trip, Pope Leo XIV was questioned about the situation in Lebanon, and in particular what he might say "to Hezbollah and Israel." He responded with a new call for "peace," and advocated for an end to the use of arms "as a means of solving problems."
Questioned by journalists gathered in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, where popes have a residence, the pope said Israel's strike on Sunday on Beirut's southern suburb is "a very great cause for concern." He called for "everyone to abandon the use of arms to resolve problems," the pontiff told journalists.
In a broader context, he urged everyone to "sit at the table of dialogue to find solutions together" when a problem arises. When a journalist asked if he had a "message" for Hezbollah and Israel, Leo XIV emphasized the need to "encourage everyone to seek peace and justice, because violence is often the result of injustice."
"We must all work together for greater unity and respect, for all peoples and all religions," he added, according to a video excerpt posted on Vatican News' social media channels.
Sunday's strike on the Haret Hreik neighborhood killed Hezbollah's chief of staff, Haitham Tabataba'i, along with four other people, in the first strike on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital since June.
Israel launched the attack despite the cease-fire that is supposed to be in effect since November 2024.
The Israeli state is violating the truce daily with gunfire and bombings, accusing Hezbollah of seeking to rebuild after last year's war, and the Lebanese state of not disarming it quickly enough. Despite Sunday's strike, the pope's visit to Lebanon, following a first stop in Turkey, is still on schedule.
