Antonio Guterres.

Israel on Wednesday declared UN chief Antonio Guterres "persona non grata," banning him from entering the country for failing to condemn Iran's missile attack on Israel.

"Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil. This is an anti-Israel Secretary-General who lends support to terrorists, rapists, and murderers," said Foreign Minister Israel Katz in a statement.

The move deepens an already wide rift between Israel and the United Nations.

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes killed at least 51 people in southern Gaza overnight, including women and children, as the military launched ground operations in the hard-hit city of Khan Younis, Palestinian medical officials said on Wednesday.

Israel has continued to strike what it says are militant targets across Gaza nearly a year after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack ignited the war there, and even as attention has shifted to Lebanon and Iran. Israel has launched ground operations against Hizbollah in Lebanon, and Tehran fired ballistic missiles on Israel late Tuesday.

Separately, Hizbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli troops in the Lebanese border town of Odaisseh, forcing them to retreat.

Agencies