World must not grow accustomed to war: Pope Leo

ATHENS

Pope Leo said on Wednesday the world must not grow accustomed to war, adding that war is always a defeat.

Speaking at the weekly general audience, Leo said: “The heart of the (Catholic) Church is torn by the cries rising from places at war, especially from Ukraine, Iran, Israel, and Gaza. We must not grow accustomed to war! Let us instead reject as a temptation the allure of weapons.”

Drawing attention to the expanding destruction capacity of the weapon system owing to the technological improvements, the pontiff noted: “The powerful weapons used in modern wars threaten to lead us to a barbarism greater than that of the past.”

Citing his predecessor Francis, Leo added: “War is always a defeat!”

At least 55,637 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war in the Gaza Strip since October 2023.

Israel also launched large-scale attacks on June 13, targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities across several cities, as well as high-ranking military command centers.

Iranian media reported Wednesday that the death toll from Israeli airstrikes across Tehran and other populated areas has risen to 585, with at least 1,326 people injured since the attacks started last week.

In retaliation, Iran’s military launched ballistic missiles at Israel, killing 24 people and wounding over 500, according to reports.