Latest news with #UNInterimForceinLebanon
Straits Times
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Israeli gunfire hits perimeter of UN peacekeeping post in Lebanon, Unifil says
CAIRO - The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) said on Wednesday that direct fire from the Israeli army had hit the perimeter of one of its peacekeeping positions in south Lebanon. In a statement, Unifil said the incident on Tuesday was the first of its kind since Israel and Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire last November. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army on the incident, in which Unifil said one of its bases in the village of Kfar Shouba in southern Lebanon was hit. "In recent days, Unifil has also observed other aggressive behaviour by the IDF (Israeli military) towards peacekeepers performing operational activities in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1701," it said, referring to a UN resolution originally adopted in 2006 to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Tuesday's incident occurred near the Blue Line, a UN-mapped demarcation separating Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Any unauthorised crossing of the Blue Line by land or by air from any side constitutes a violation of Security Council Resolution 1701. Unifil cited other alleged incidents it blamed on the Israeli army, including being targeted by lasers while it was performing a patrol with the Lebanese army in the southern border town of Maroun al-Ras on Tuesday. Israel has continued to occasionally strike areas in south Lebanon, saying that it was targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. It has also struck the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut several times. The ceasefire terms require that neither Hezbollah nor any other armed group have weapons in areas near the border south of the Litani river, which flows into the Mediterranean some 20 km (12 miles) north of the Israeli border. They require Israel to withdraw troops from the south and that the Lebanese army deploy into the border region. Lebanon and Israel have accused each other of failing to fully implement the deal. Israel still has troops on five hilltop positions in the south. Rockets have been fired from Lebanon towards Israel twice, though Hezbollah denied any role. Israel killed thousands of Hezbollah fighters in the war, destroyed much of its arsenal and eliminated its top leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah. The war spiralled after Hezbollah opened fire at the beginning of the Gaza war, declaring solidarity with its Palestinian ally Hamas. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
France 24
12-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
UN says found 225 arms caches since Israel-Hezbollah truce
The November truce largely ended more than a year of hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed group, including two months of all-out war. Under the deal, Hezbollah was to withdraw its fighters north of Lebanon's Litani River and Israel was to pull all its forces from south Lebanon, however it has kept troops in five areas it deems "strategic". The Lebanese army has been deploying in the area as Israeli forces have withdrawn and has been dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure there. Since the November 27 truce began, "peacekeepers have found over 225 weapons caches and referred them" to the Lebanese army, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon said in a statement. UNIFIL also has a seat on the ceasefire monitoring committee, alongside truce brokers France and the United States, and the Israeli and Lebanese governments. "With UNIFIL support", Lebanon's army has "redeployed to more than 120 permanent positions south of the Litani", the peacekeeping force said. "Full (army) deployment is hindered by the presence of Israeli forces in Lebanese territory," it added. Israel's military still carries out regular strikes in Lebanon, saying it is targeting Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure. The ceasefire deal was based on a UN Security Council resolution that says Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers should be the only forces in south Lebanon, and that calls for the disarmament of all non-state groups. President Joseph Aoun said last month the Lebanese army was now deployed in more than 85 percent of the south and that the sole obstacle to full control across the frontier area was "Israel's occupation of five border positions". Lebanese authorities have vowed to implement a state monopoly on bearing arms, though Aoun has said disarming Hezbollah is a "delicate" matter that requires dialogue.
Arab News
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Lebanese army expands presence in areas along Litani River
BEIRUT: A large contingent of the Lebanese army entered Yohmor Chkeif, north of the Litani River in Nabatieh governorate, southern Lebanon, on Wednesday. Rockets were launched from the area toward Israel last week. A security source said forces patrolled the village, which is surrounded on three sides by the river. A video shared on social media appeared to show the troops entering the village. The residents of another village north of the Litani River reported seeing Lebanese army Cessna drones in the skies over Nabatieh on Wednesday. An army unit, in cooperation with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, recently entered Zawtar Al-Charqiyeh, which is located in the same governorate. Ali Al-Amin, the editor-in-chief of the Janoubia news website, told Arab News the region is characterized by its valleys, mountains and rugged terrain. Under Hezbollah directives, only civilians are allowed in the area. But a Lebanese army unit entered Hezbollah military sites in Wadi Zawtar Al-Charqiyeh, close to the river, he added. The valley was targeted by at least 200 raids during the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah. It reportedly contains large Hezbollah camps, training centers and weapon storage facilities. The arrival of the Lebanese army in the area effectively marks the end of Hezbollah's military presence there, Al-Amin said, though the group has not officially stated this. He suggested that Hezbollah might have reached an understanding with the army behind closed doors. Last week, the army seized empty rocket launchers that had targeted Israel twice in the space of a week. An investigation has been launched in an attempt to identify those who fired the missiles. They remain unknown, although the Lebanese army said it arrested suspects from Syria and Palestine. The launch of the rockets resulted in a significant deterioration in the security situation in Lebanon, jeopardizing the ceasefire agreement as retaliatory Israeli airstrikes targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut for the first time since the peace deal came into effect four months ago. Dozens of people were killed or injured by the Israeli strikes. Army commander Gen. Rodolphe Haikal inspected the South Litani Sector Command two days ago and reinforced the Lebanese military's commitment to the implementation of UN resolutions and the ceasefire agreement. Army command said the general had highlighted the continued presence of Israeli forces in occupied Lebanese territory as the main obstacle to deployment of the army south of the Litani, and reinforcement of the ceasefire. Further Israeli violations of the peace agreement were reported on Wednesday. According to media reports from southern Lebanon, the Israeli army 'opened fire on a citizen from the border town of Odaisseh, injuring him slightly while he was driving his car on the Kfarkela-Odaisseh road.' The Ministry of Health also said a citizen was wounded by Israeli gunfire in the Odaisseh area. The Israeli army also continued to target shelters being built by residents in border areas near homes destroyed during the conflict. A combat drone destroyed one such shelter in the center of the town of Yaroun but no casualties were reported. At dawn, Israeli vehicles and demolition equipment based in the Labouneh area east of Naqoura, inside Lebanese territory, advanced toward Ras Naqoura. According to the National News Agency, they raised a dirt barrier that blocked the road on both directions opposite the Israeli Jal Al-Alam site, which overlooks the towns of Naqoura and Alma Al-Shaab. The latest developments come as Russia Today reported that Lebanese security officials had received 'concerning signals' suggesting that Israeli authorities intend to resume their campaign of targeted assassinations. A security source said Tel Aviv is committed to dismantling Hezbollah's military arsenal and considers the Lebanese government's efforts so far to achieve this to be inadequate. The rising tensions followed a pre-dawn Israeli strike in Beirut's southern suburbs on Tuesday that killed Hezbollah member Hassan Badir and his son. Civilians in a neighboring apartment were also reportedly killed. In a separate security operation, the Lebanese army said on Wednesday it had shut down two illegal border crossings in the Hermel and Mashari Al-Qaa regions as part of its ongoing efforts to combat smuggling and unauthorized movements across the country's northern and eastern border with Syria.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ultra-Orthodox Israelis visit gravesite in Lebanon
After a group of around 20 ultra-Orthodox Israelis recently entered Lebanese territory without authorization to visit a religious gravesite, Israel's military has now accompanied hundreds to the same location, a media report said on Friday. The Israeli army and the ultra-Orthodox have reached an agreement so that the devout Jews can pray at the site, the Times of Israel newspaper reported. The tomb believed to be of a Jewish scholar from the 4th century lies on a hill directly on the so-called Blue Line, the international border between Israel and Lebanon. According to the Times of Israel, the burial site is located between an Israeli army post and a base of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Parts of the Israeli military had deliberately brought residents of Israel into Lebanese territory, the Lebanese army criticized on the platform X. It spoke of a "blatant violation of Lebanon's national sovereignty" and a violation of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah. In recent weeks, ultra-Orthodox people have repeatedly entered Lebanese territory on their own initiative to reach the grave. According to Israeli police, several people have been detained. The Times of Israel also reported clashes with the Israeli army. In the past, there have been visits to the tomb accompanied by the army. According to police, illegally crossing the Lebanese border is punishable in Israel by up to four years in prison.
Al Manar
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Manar
Hezbollah: The Army's Use of Tear Gas Against Protesters Is a Reprehensible Act and unjustified
In a statement, Hezbollah confirmed that the 'popular sit-in organized by the group yesterday to condemn Israeli interference in Lebanese affairs and the violation of national sovereignty was a peaceful movement and a civilized expression of a popular position rejecting unjustified submission to external dictates.' However, Hezbollah indicated that 'the protesters were surprised by some members of the Lebanese army firing tear gas bombs at them, in a reprehensible act that constitutes an unjustified attack on peaceful citizens. It is a suspicious attempt to drag the army into a confrontation with its people.' Expressing concern, Hezbollah called on the army leadership to urgently investigate this 'reprehensible attack' and take appropriate measures to preserve the military's role in protecting stability and civil peace. Hezbollah also called on the Lebanese government to fulfill its responsibilities in protecting peaceful protesters and their right to express their positions and demands. The group demanded the government reverse its decision to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing at Beirut airport and take serious measures to prevent Israeli encroachment on national sovereignty. Condemning an incident that targeted the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) the previous day near Rafik Hariri International Airport, Hezbollah stressed its 'absolute rejection of any targeting' of UNIFIL or harm to public and private property. Thousands of Lebanese citizens participated in the Hezbollah-called sit-in on the old road leading to Beirut's airport, protesting Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty and refusing to submit to Israeli threats. The protesters also demanded the government facilitate the return of Lebanese citizens stranded in Tehran after authorities prevented an Iranian aircraft from landing in Beirut.
