UNIFIL flags surge in Israeli military activity across southern Lebanon

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has said that the past two weeks have seen a notable increase in Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon, warning that civilians are bearing the brunt of escalating tensions.

“Between 5 and 16 August, UNIFIL recorded an average of 137 projectiles per day, including 208 on Saturday and 185 on Sunday,” UNIFIL said in a statement on Monday.

“As tensions rise, civilians are once again paying the highest price, with many families displaced or forced to change their daily routines because of insecurity and uncertainty,” it added.

UNIFIL said its peacekeepers had maintained their field presence through patrols, monitoring, removing obstacles from roads, reducing risks posed by explosives, and facilitating access for humanitarian aid.

It added that UN Security Council Resolution 1701 remains the basic framework for restoring stability in southern Lebanon.

Adopted in 2006, Resolution 1701 calls for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, and for strengthening the deployment in southern Lebanon of the Lebanese army and UNIFIL.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday voiced support for extending UNIFIL’s mandate and adopting a formula that ensures the continued presence of international forces in the area.

UNIFIL’s mandate in southern Lebanon will expire at the end of 2026 amid international debate over the force’s future and mission.

A key element

Beirut, for its part, insists on maintaining UNIFIL’s presence as a key element of stability in the south.

The latest developments come amid efforts to consolidate security arrangements linked to a “framework formula” agreement signed by Beirut and Tel Aviv on June 26.

The agreement calls for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territory, after which Lebanese army forces are expected to deploy into vacated areas.

It also calls for the disarmament of “armed groups” in reference to Hezbollah.

Israeli forces remain present in several parts of southern Lebanon, some of which it has occupied for decades.

Other areas have remained under occupation since a previous round of fighting in 2023 and 2024, during which Israeli forces advanced more than 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) into sovereign Lebanese territory.

The death toll from repeated Israeli assaults on southern Lebanon rose to 4,346 since March 2, after 11 people were killed on Saturday in two separate Israeli air strikes.

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Source: TRT