A UNIFIL patrol was accused Thursday of attempting to remove and dispose of Hezbollah flags and images of killed Hezbollah members in the border area near Aitaroun and Blida, both located in the Marjayoun district. However, a UNIFIL spokesperson denied these claims to L'Orient Today, stating that "the peacekeepers stopped for an unrelated reason and did not interfere with any flags or images."

According to information circulating on social media, including WhatsApp, the patrol fled the scene after nearly hitting a group of young men who tried to block the vehicle in protest.

Last week, a video circulated on social media showing residents in southern Lebanon preventing vehicles of UNIFIL from entering certain areas and forcing them to turn back

The footage, filmed at the Abbasieh intersection in the Sour district, follows similar incidents earlier this week in Tyr Debba(Sour) and in Jmaijmeh (Bint Jbeil).

UNIFIL’s freedom of movement has come under pressure in recent years, especially under Hezbollah’s influence. While the force is authorized to move independently “within its areas of deployment,” according to Article 12 of Resolution 1701, its mandate under Chapter VI of the U.N. Charter does not permit the use of force to carry out operations.