United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday condemned Iran's missile attack on Israel, urging the Security Council to halt the "deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence." "Time is running out," he emphasized during the council's meeting. The 15-member council convened after Israel assassinated the leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah, initiating a ground assault against the Iran-backed militant group. In response, Iran launched an attack on Israel, stoking fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East. Earlier in the day, Israel's foreign minister had barred Guterres from entering the country, accusing him of not "unequivocally" condemning Iran's missile strike on Israel.