Soldiers from the Spanish contingent of UNIFIL in Khiam, Aug. 23, 2024. (Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP)
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon said Saturday it would not leave positions in the south despite what it said was an Israeli request to "relocate."
"On Sept. 30, the Israeli military notified UNIFIL of their intention to undertake 'limited ground incursions' into Lebanon. They also requested we relocate from some of our positions," the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon said.
"Peacekeepers remain in all positions and the U.N. flag continues to fly.
"We are regularly adjusting our posture and activities, and we have contingency plans ready to activate if absolutely necessary," it added.
Israel has intensified its campaign in Lebanon since Sept. 23, killing more than 2,ooo people and forcing nearly a million people to flee their homes in a country already mired in an economic crisis, ongoing since 2019.
Israel said earlier this week that it would start carrying out ground offensives into south Lebanon, claimed to target Hezbollah infrastructure.
"We continue to urge Lebanon and Israel to recommit to Security Council Resolution 1701 — in actions, not just word — as the only viable solution to bring back stability in the region," UNIFIL said.
U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war in Lebanon, stipulated that only the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers should be deployed in south Lebanon.
