Pope Leo on Monday called for a global ban on aerial military strikes, criticizing their use as indiscriminate and destructive during a public address at the Vatican. His remarks come as the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran continues to escalate.

Speaking to executives and staff from Italy’s ITA Airways, the pope warned against the dangers posed by modern airpower in warfare. He argued that civilians should not have to live under the constant threat of attacks from above and said the continued use of aerial bombardment reflects a failure to learn from the devastation of past conflicts.

Referencing the legacy of 20th-century warfare, Leo said such tactics should have been permanently outlawed after their widespread destruction. He described ongoing reliance on aerial strikes as a step backward rather than progress.

Although he did not directly name the current Iran conflict in his remarks, the pope has repeatedly addressed the war in recent days. On Sunday, he called the fighting a “scandal to the whole human family” and renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire.

ITA Airways, the Italian carrier that typically transports the pope during international travel, hosted the event where the comments were delivered. The airline is partly owned by Germany’s Lufthansa and serves as the successor to the former national airline Alitalia.

The Vatican has not indicated any shift in diplomatic engagement but continues to emphasize calls for de-escalation and an end to hostilities.