UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was extremely concerned with the escalation of the conflict in Lebanon, and called for an immediate ceasefire, his spokesman said on Tuesday.

"An all-out war must be avoided in Lebanon at all costs, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon must be respected," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN chief, said in a statement.

The statement said Guterres spoke earlier Tuesday morning to Prime Minister Najib Mikati of Lebanon.

The secretary-general told Mikati the entire United Nations system in Lebanon is mobilized to assist all those in need in the country, and appealed to the international community to urgently support the 426 million U.S. dollars humanitarian appeal launched in Beirut on Tuesday, the statement said.

"The secretary-general will continue his contacts, and his representatives on the ground will also continue their efforts to de-escalate the situation," it added. Enditem

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