Today, UNIFIL peacekeepers observed multiple Israeli airstrikes in Tayr Dibbah, Taibe, and Ayta al Jabal, within our area of operations in south Lebanon.
These airstrikes constitute clear violations of Security Council resolution 1701. They come as the Lebanese Armed Forces are undertaking operations to control unauthorized weapons and infrastructure in the south Litani area. Any military action, especially on such a destructive scale, threatens the safety of civilians and undermines the progress being made toward a political and diplomatic solution.
Peacekeepers continue to support both Lebanon and Israel in their implementation of resolution 1701, and are on the ground with Lebanese soldiers, working to restore stability in south Lebanon.
We call on Israel to immediately cease these attacks and all violations of resolution 1701. Likewise, we urge Lebanese actors to refrain from any response that could inflame the situation further. Both Lebanon and Israel must adhere to their obligations under resolution 1701 and to the understanding reached in November, to avoid putting the current hard-won progress at risk.