Situation along the Blue Line is 'tense and unpredictable,' says head of UNIFIL

BEIRUT — The situation along the Blue Line, the U.N.-drawn demarcation between Israel and Lebanon, remains "tense and unpredictable," the commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said during a ceremony marking the International Day of U.N. Peacekeepers on Thursday.

Speaking to an audience in Naqoura of Lebanese soldiers, security services, local political and religious authorities, ambassadors and U.N. officials, Lieutenant-General Aroldo Lázaro warned of the fragility of a truce that was agreed to back in November and is violated on a near-daily basis by the Israeli army.

“The situation along the Blue Line remains tense and unpredictable, with repeated violations and a high risk of miscalculation,” Lázaro said. “Through our liaison and coordination mechanisms, we offer a channel for dialogue and de-escalation, helping to build the foundation for a possible solution.”

“The path to peace in southern Lebanon is political," he continued. "We must all work to create the right conditions for a long-term, sustainable solution.”

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Yater residents say UNIFIL troops drew their weapons on them, which UNIFIL denies

UNIFIL is part of the cease-fire monitoring committee whose establishment was mandated by the cease-fire agreement. The seven-member committee, which also includes French, Israeli, Lebanese, and American representatives, was tasked with ensuring the cease-fire agreement was implemented and was meant to be the mechanism through which any violations of the cease-fire were dealt with.

However, parallel to the cease-fire agreement, the U.S. and Israel signed an understanding that the latter would be allowed to respond directly to any perceived threats in Lebanon, sidestepping the committee.

Since the ostensible end to the war on Nov. 27, 2024, Israel has killed at least 167 people in Lebanon, the majority of whom have been civilians, according to the U.N.

During the ceremony, Lázaro and Lebanese Armed Forces Commander representative Brigadier General Nicola Tabet laid wreaths in tribute to fallen peacekeepers. According to a UNIFIL statement released following the event, over 4,400 U.N. peacekeepers have lost their lives on missions around the world since 1948, including more than 330 since UNIFIL was established in 1978.

“One important step in recent months has been the significant deployment of more [Lebanese Army] soldiers to the South,” the UNIFIL chief emphasized. “Their presence as the sole providers of state authority and security must be preserved and for that, help from international partners needs to be maintained.”

The Lebanese Army and UNIFIL have been tasked with dismantling Hezbollah's military infrastructures in the South and confiscating its weapon caches. Two weeks ago, the U.N. force claimed to have discovered more than 225 weapon caches.

However, there has been an increasing number of incidents between UNIFIL peacekeepers and residents of southern Lebanese residents, who often come face-to-face with UNIFIL troops in their villages, apparently without Lebanese Army coordination, which is meant to precede UNIFIL movements.

On Wednesday, residents of Yater confronted UNIFIL soldiers trying to enter the town, accusing them of not having coordinated with the army. UNIFIL instead went around and instead tried to enter the village from another angle, leading to a clash with residents who say UNIFIL peacekeepers drew their weapons on them.