The AL secretary general's statements came shortly after Israel assassinated Palestinian leader Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas Political Bureau, on Wednesday morning during an official visit to Iran. 

They also come hours after Israel carried out an air strike in the Lebanese capital Beirut targetting a top Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur on Tuesday evening.

Abul-Gheit stressed that "assassinations are acts that violate international law... and carrying out them reveals a gross disregard for international norms and the rules that regulate relations between countries."

"The international community is required to exert the necessary pressure on Israel to prevent a comprehensive regional explosion that the reckless policies pursued by its leaders will lead to," he added.