A Lebanese soldier posted on the border with Syria. (Credit: File photo provided by the Lebanese Army.)
The Lebanese Foreign Affairs Ministry has instructed its Permanent Mission to the United Nations to file a formal complaint with the U.N. Security Council regarding "repeated Israeli attacks on the Lebanese Army."
The move follows a Nov. 17 Israeli strike, which targeted a Lebanese Army post in al-Mari, near Hasbaya in southern Lebanon, killing two soldiers and wounding three others. This brings the total number of Lebanese soldiers killed to 36 since the start of the conflict on Oct. 8, 2023.
In its complaint, Lebanon urged Security Council member states to "condemn the repeated Israeli attacks on the army and consider them a flagrant violation of international law, the U.N. Charter and international resolutions, in particular Resolution 1701."
The Foreign Ministry emphasized that the Lebanese Army is "the cornerstone in implementing [Resolution 1701] and guaranteeing lasting security and stability in southern Lebanon." It added that the army works to extend the authority of the Lebanese state across its territory and borders in close collaboration with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The ministry also stressed that "ensuring the security of the army and supporting it in fulfilling its duties is an urgent necessity to reinforce security along Lebanon's borders."