'Minor incident' between UNIFIL patrol and residents in Haris

SOUTH LEBANON — Vehicles from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrolling Monday in Haris (Bint Jbeil district) in southern Lebanon were briefly stopped by residents while patrolling.

"It was a minor incident that was quickly resolved," UNIFIL deputy spokesperson Kandace Ardiel told L'Orient Today. According to her, one of the vehicles encountered a mechanical issue and had to be taken apart, which required spending some time on site. According to our correspondent in southern Lebanon, the peacekeepers were accompanied by a unit of the Lebanese Army at the time of the incident.

While southern Lebanon comes under near-daily Israeli fire — despite a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hezbollah — the region saw a rare moment of fragile calm on Monday.

The agreement, brokered by the U.S. and France and in effect since Nov. 27, 2024, called for a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Yet, the Israeli army continues to occupy five positions, carries out frequent ground incursions, and conducts almost daily airstrikes.

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On the Lebanese side, the deal called for the gradual disarmament of Hezbollah, starting south of the Litani River in line with U.N. Resolution 1701 — a condition Hezbollah has firmly rejected. Over the past eight months, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed more than 270 people.

Tensions between U.N. peacekeepers and residents in the south — where Hezbollah maintains strong influence, have increased since the truce began. Friction often arises when UNIFIL convoys patrol without accompaniment by the Lebanese Army. Locals frequently block or confront these patrols, accusing the U.N. force of overstepping its mandate.

According to Resolution 1701, UNIFIL is authorized to move independently within its areas of deployment. However, its operations fall under Chapter VI of the U.N. Charter, which limits the use of force. Hezbollah has long challenged UNIFIL's freedom of movement when not coordinated with the Lebanese Army.

The Lebanese military, for its part, says it lacks the manpower to escort every U.N. patrol. Meanwhile, UNIFIL, along with the U.S., France, Lebanon, and Israel, is part of the international monitoring committee overseeing the cease-fire.

Reporting by our regional correspondent Muntasser Abdallah.