In a first since the cease-fire agreement of November 27, 2024, Israel on Monday reportedly warned the Lebanese Army – through the established monitoring mechanism – of a potential strike on Aitaroun, in the Bint Jbeil district, as tensions continue to escalate along the country’s southern border. The Lebanese military promptly informed the village municipality of the possible threat. The municipal building was evacuated, and precautionary measures were implemented.
Meanwhile, according to an Israeli military source quoted by Maariv, “a new escalation in fighting with Hezbollah is only a matter of time.” The source said the Israeli Army is concerned about “the Lebanese Army’s inability to disarm” the Iran-backed group, while accusing Tehran of “seeking to strengthen itself after its latest confrontation with Israel.”
In parallel, Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Iran and Hezbollah are “rebuilding a transnational smuggling network” relying on maritime routes, the use of cryptocurrencies, weapons trafficking, and financial flows estimated at several hundred million dollars.
UNIFIL Condemns Israeli Strikes
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) expressed “deep concern” over recent Israeli strikes targeting peacekeeping forces in south Lebanon. The mission, however, affirmed that such incidents would not weaken the peacekeepers’ determination to carry out their UN mandate.
“We will continue to perform our duties with the resources available, as we did last year despite multiple attacks, and we will never give up,” UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said. Asked about the reduction in troop numbers, Ardiel explained that it was primarily due to the financial crisis affecting the United Nations. She insisted that the decrease in peacekeepers would not affect the mission’s commitment or its security measures.
She emphasized that operations on the ground remain dangerous and that UNIFIL applies strict security protocols to protect its personnel. She also reiterated that the ultimate responsibility for the safety of peacekeepers lies with the states concerned by Resolution 1701. She added that UNIFIL’s mission remains unchanged: monitoring the Blue Line, reporting violations of Resolution 1701, and providing operational support to the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Her statements came after an Israeli operation carried out Sunday in Khiam, during which a Merkava tank fired toward a UNIFIL patrol. While the Israeli Army acknowledged the incident and claimed it had “not intentionally” targeted the peacekeepers, Ardiel stressed the need to “remind the Israeli Army of its obligations” regarding the protection of UN personnel.
For its part, the Lebanese Army condemned a “dangerous escalation,” accusing Israel of “persisting in its violations of Lebanese sovereignty,” while stressing that it was working with “friendly countries,” including France and the United States, to halt the strikes.
Hezbollah Member Killed
Beyond the Khiam strike, the Israeli Army targeted a Hezbollah member on Sunday at 11 p.m. in the Mansouri area, near Tyre. On Monday morning, in a post on X, Israeli Army Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced that Israeli soldiers had “neutralized a Hezbollah operative who served as a local representative in Mansouri.”
He specified that the drone strike had targeted the vehicle of Mohammad Ali Choueikh, who was also the director of the village school, killing the man who was “responsible for managing relations between the organization and local residents on military and economic matters. He also facilitated the seizure of private property for terrorist purposes,” Adraee wrote.
Rising Tensions in the Eastern Sector
In the same vein, Israel has sharply increased its artillery fire, machine-gun bursts, and drone activity in recent days over Shebaa, Kfarchouba, and the Khiam plain.
Although no injuries have been reported, local authorities describe a “serious threat” to civilians and lament that their calls for enhanced security – addressed to UNIFIL, the Lebanese Army, and the cease-fire monitoring committee – have gone unanswered.
On Monday morning, Israeli drones were spotted over Naqoura, while another aircraft dropped a bomb on the village of Odaisseh.
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