“The heart of the Church asunder,” Pope Leo lamented on Wednesday, “by the cries rising up from places of war”, especially Ukraine, Iran, Israel and Gaza.

Speaking at the weekly General Audience, the Holy Father insisted, “We must never become accustomed to war”, but instead “reject as a temptation the allure of powerful and sophisticated weapons.”

He warned that that the use of “scientific weapons of all kinds” in modern warfare risks “leading combatants to a barbarism far greater than that of times past.”

Appealing directly to world leaders, Pope Leo echoed his predecessor, Pope Francis, who had so often declared, “War is always a defeat!” And he recalled the words of Pope Pius XII, who led the Church during the Second World War: “Nothing is lost with peace. Everything can be lost with war.”

Therefore, in the name of human dignity and international law, I repeat to those responsible what Pope Francis used to say: “War is always a defeat!” And with Pius XII, “Nothing is lost with peace. Everything can be lost with war.

Russian air strikes on Ukraine continue

Russian airstrikes on civilian targets in Ukraine have intensified in recent weeks, with at least 18 people killed and 151 wounded in overnight drone and missile strikes. Ukrainian president Volodomyr Zelensky said the attacks were among the most horrific since the full-scale invasion of his country by Russia in February 2022.

Noting that the attack on Kyiv was the deadliest so far this year, the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine warned of the dangers of using such weapons in major cities. “Last night's attack exemplifies the grave threat posed by the tactic of deploying missiles and large numbers of drones simultaneously into populated areas, which leads to civilian casualties, and profound suffering," Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU, said in a statement.

Conflict between Israel and Iran

Thousands of people are fleeing the Iranian capital Tehran as Israel continues to carry out strikes aimed at eliminating Iran’s nuclear program. More than 220 people were reportedly killed in the initial round of Israeli strikes, including military leaders and nuclear scientists. Israeli military sources said their air force had struck 20 targets in Tehran overnight.

In response, Iran has launched some 400 missiles at Israel, with approximately 40 making it through Israeli air defences. Authorities in Israel claim 24 people have been killed by the strikes.

Israeli tanks fire on civilians seeking aid

In Gaza, Israeli forces are continuing military operations ostensibly seeking to destroy the Hamas political and military organization. Israel launched an offensive into Gaza following armed incursions by Hamas militants into Israel in October 2023 that resulted in approximately 1200 Israeli deaths. Additionally, Hamas took approximately 250 hostages during the raids, more than 50 of whom are still being held in captivity.