UNIFIL: “Israel” Prepares for Prolonged Presence in South Lebanon Amid Continued Attacks

By Staff, Agencies

UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon have reported growing indications of preparations for a prolonged military presence by “Israel,” as “Israeli” airstrikes, artillery bombardments and restrictions on UN movements continue across the area, a UN spokesman said Monday.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon [UNIFIL] documented extensive “Israeli” military activity between Thursday and Sunday, including drone operations, engineering works and road construction across its area of operations.

According to Deputy UN Spokesman Farhan Haq, peacekeepers recorded three “Israeli” airstrikes on Thursday and another three on Sunday, in addition to 360 artillery firing trajectories over the four-day period. The bombardments affected several communities across southern Lebanon.

UNIFIL also observed apparent preparations for a sustained “Israeli” military presence in both its eastern and western sectors, raising further concerns about the prospect of an extended occupation. However, the UN did not specify the purpose of the construction work or how long “Israeli” forces might remain.

“Israeli” military restrictions have also continued to obstruct UN peacekeepers, with gates and physical barriers limiting their movements, particularly in the eastern sector. “Israeli” soldiers and tanks further restricted movement in both directions near Bayada on Friday, Haq said.

Despite these obstacles, humanitarian operations have continued through coordination between UNIFIL and the UN humanitarian office, with five movements arranged on Thursday and another on Friday.

Addressing “Israeli” claims about weapons depots near a UNIFIL position, Haq reiterated that the presence of unauthorized weapons south of the Litani River violates UN Security Council Resolution 1701. He noted, however, that peacekeepers had discovered hundreds of unauthorized weapons caches and were not authorized to search private property or forcibly disarm armed groups.

The continued “Israeli” military activity and restrictions on UNIFIL’s operations come amid growing concerns over the future of southern Lebanon, particularly as the peacekeeping mission is scheduled to end on December 31 following a Security Council decision.

The anticipated withdrawal raises serious questions about who will monitor developments on the ground and how violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty will be addressed once international peacekeepers leave.