UN deeply concerned over resurgence of hostilities in Middle East: spokesman

The United Nations is deeply concerned over the resurgence of hostilities and the renewed escalation of tensions across several parts of the Middle East, said UN secretary-general spokesman Stephane Dujarric at a regular press briefing on Monday.

Dujarric warned that the fresh threats from Yemen's Houthi group against Saudi Arabia and the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea could further disrupt global trade and energy shipments.

Noting that hostilities flared up once again in multiple parts of the Middle East over the past weekend, Dujarric said the United Nations is urging all parties concerned to immediately de-escalate the situation and resolve their differences through dialogue and diplomacy.

He emphasized that in any conflict, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected, and that critical facilities upon which people depend such as hospitals and water supply systems should not be targeted.

The spokesman also singled out recent reports that the Houthis have again threatened to attack Saudi Arabia and restrict freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, saying the United Nations views such moves with deep concern and believes they could push the region toward a wider confrontation.

The Red Sea shipping lanes had already suffered serious disruption before, and the United Nations does not want to see a repeat of that situation, he said.

"We've seen the Red Sea already being choked off in the past. We don't want to see a return to that. I mean, it will of course impact the flow of UN goods that are shipped, notably humanitarian goods and elements for peacekeeping. But much more worryingly, it will again have a negative impact on global commerce, on the trade in energy and just commerce as a whole. And we're already seeing the impact of the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and what impact that is having on the global economy," he said.

Dujarric said that UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg has arrived in Muscat, Oman, where he is holding further talks with the parties concerned to address the issues at hand.

The U.S. leading economic index (LEI) declined slightly in June, according to data published by the Conference Board Monday.

The LEI dropped by 0.2 percent in June but was down by only 0.3 percent over the first half of this year. That's a much smaller rate of decline than its 1.1 percent contraction over the second half of last year, the Conference Board's report found.

The LEI is a predictive tool designed to signal turning points in the business cycle. By measuring 10 key economic components, including stock prices, building permits and consumer expectations, it indicates where the broader economy is heading in the near term.

A consistent rise in the LEI indicates approaching economic expansion, while a sustained decline suggests slowing growth and increased recession risk.