The command of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has expressed profound concern over the military escalation by Israel, warning it threatens civilian populations and regional stability.
In a statement released by the UNIFIL press service, the mission stated that "Israeli airstrikes in the peacekeepers' area of operations constitute a clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701." It further emphasized that "military action on such a destructive scale undermines progress toward a political and diplomatic settlement of the conflict."
The statement highlighted that these attacks are occurring at a time when the Lebanese Army is taking measures to confiscate unauthorized weapons and dismantle the infrastructure of illegal armed groups south of the Litani River.
The UN peacekeepers called on Israel to "immediately cease its attacks" and strongly urged Lebanese parties to "refrain from any retaliatory actions that could further escalate the situation."
Earlier, the Lebanese Army Command stated in a communiqué that the "Israeli enemy launched a large-scale wave of attacks, targeting several southern districts and towns." The document asserted that the continuation of these aggressive assaults is hindering the completion of the Lebanese Armed Forces' deployment along the southern border, in accordance with the truce agreement of November 27, 2024.
According to a statement from the Israeli military, the targets of Thursday's airstrikes were bases belonging to special forces units of the armed wing of the Shiite organization Hezbollah. The strikes reportedly hit military infrastructure sites and several weapons depots.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Steve Calcott/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS