OMM Newsroom
UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon have seen what appeared to be preparations for a sustained Israeli military presence, amid continued airstrikes, artillery fire and restrictions on their movements, a UN spokesman said Monday, according to Anadolu Agency.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported Israeli military activity across its area of operations from Thursday through Sunday, including drone operations, engineering work and road construction.
Peacekeepers recorded three Israeli airstrikes on Thursday and three more on Sunday, as well as 360 artillery trajectories over the four-day period, UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters in New York.
The artillery fire affected several communities across southern Lebanon, Haq said.
UNIFIL also observed apparent preparations for a sustained presence in both its eastern and western sectors. It did not specify the purpose of the construction work or how long Israeli troops might remain.
Gates and physical barriers continued to obstruct peacekeepers’ movements, particularly in the eastern sector. Israeli soldiers and tanks also restricted travel in both directions near Al-Bayyada on Friday, Haq said.
Humanitarian deliveries continued under coordination arrangements involving UNIFIL and the UN humanitarian office. Five movements were coordinated on Thursday and one on Friday.
Asked separately about Israeli claims of weapons depots near a UNIFIL position, Haq said unauthorized weapons south of the Litani River violated UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
He said peacekeepers had discovered hundreds of unauthorized weapons caches but were not mandated to search private property or forcibly disarm armed groups.
UNIFIL is scheduled to cease operations on Dec. 31 under a Security Council decision, raising concerns about security arrangements after its withdrawal.
