Overview
- At his Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo directly appealed to “those responsible” to cease fire and reopen dialogue as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran enters its third week.
- He condemned attacks on civilians and referenced the deadly strike on a Minab elementary school in Iran, expressing closeness to families of victims.
- U.S. officials say outdated intelligence likely contributed to the Minab strike and a formal investigation is underway, with casualty figures widely cited but not independently verified.
- The pope voiced particular concern over Lebanon’s worsening humanitarian crisis as Israeli-Hezbollah fighting intensifies and displacement rises.
- On Monday, he urged journalists to verify information, avoid becoming a “megaphone” for power, and show the human cost of war rather than glorifying combat.