WASHINGTON, DC – UNITED Nations officials are reporting a noticeable reduction in hostilities in southern Lebanon as the international community awaits full details of a tentative agreement reached between the United States and Iran, a development many hope could help ease tensions across the wider Middle East.
The agreement, announced on Sunday, comes after months of heightened regional instability, including exchanges of fire along the Israel-Lebanon border and concerns that the conflict could expand into a broader regional confrontation.
Speaking to reporters at United Nations Headquarters in New York, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said UN peacekeepers had observed a decline in military activity in southern Lebanon in the hours following the announcement.
...from midnight until 4 p.m. local time today, UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) observed a decrease in violence and exchanges of fire, recording 133 trajectories of projectiles and 2 air strikes attributed to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). No trajectories from Hizbullah or non-State actors were reported during that time. During the same period, peacekeepers recorded 25 violations of Lebanese airspace by the IDF, with a total overflight time of approximately 40 hours."
The reduction marks a significant shift from the intense exchanges recorded over the weekend. Before the US-Iran agreement was announced, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers documented 135 violations of Lebanese airspace by the Israeli military. UNIFIL also recorded 1,374 projectile trajectories during the weekend, with 1,328 attributed to the IDF and the remainder to non-State actors, believed to be Hizbullah.
As security conditions showed signs of improvement, UN peacekeepers moved quickly to restore access to communities affected by the recent fighting.
According to Dujarric, a UNIFIL team spent much of Monday reopening a critical roadway linking the communities of Rmeich and Naqoura in southern Lebanon. The road had suffered extensive damage during recent hostilities and was vital for humanitarian operations.
"Equipped with earthmoving machinery, excavators and bulldozers, peacekeepers, including explosive ordnance disposal teams and other specialists, filled craters, removed roadblocks, repaired potholes and cleared unexploded hazards."
The operation was conducted at the request of local authorities and is expected to benefit approximately 6,000 residents who remained in the area despite the violence. Reopening the route will also facilitate the movement of humanitarian aid and essential supplies to nearby communities.
The United Nations also reiterated its concerns over recent military actions in Lebanon.
"You will have seen that yesterday we issued a statement in which the Secretary-General said he strongly condemned the Israeli strikes on Beirut. We reiterate our call once again on all parties to respect Security Council resolution 1701 (2006)."
Resolution 1701 ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hizbullah and established the framework for maintaining peace and stability along the border.
Despite the apparent reduction in violence, UN humanitarian officials cautioned that conditions remain unsafe for many displaced civilians.
On the humanitarian front, the United Nations reported that some families have begun assessing conditions in parts of southern Lebanon, particularly around Nabatieh, with the hope of returning home. However, officials stressed that no large-scale returns have occurred. "People should not return until it is safe to do so."
Local authorities say shelters continue to operate near capacity as many displaced families wait for greater certainty regarding the security situation. The Lebanese Armed Forces and local officials have also advised residents against returning to high-risk areas at this time.
The United Nations continues to call for the protection of civilians, safe and voluntary returns for displaced residents, and uninterrupted humanitarian access to affected communities.
