UNIFIL has ‘no evidence’ Hezbollah is trying to re-establish itself in South

There is "no evidence" that Hezbollah "is trying to rebuild its forces," said the commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Italian General Diodato Abagnara, to Channel 12 in a rare interview with an Israeli media outlet.

The UNIFIL commander stated that he had "not seen anything" regarding the reconstruction of Hezbollah’s infrastructure, even as Israel accuses the pro-Iranian group of restoring its military capabilities.

UNIFIL's area of operation covers south of the Litani River, where the army, in coordination with peacekeepers, is tasked with dismantling the group's military infrastructure. "When we discover weapons depots and rocket launchers, these are clear violations," added the Italian general.

"There are obvious violations on both sides," the UNIFIL commander continued, noting that the Israeli army continues to occupy at least five positions in southern Lebanon.

"The presence of Israeli positions along the Blue Line constitutes a flagrant and ongoing violation of the U.N. resolution," he added.

Abagnara also described the situation between Lebanon and Israel as "really fragile." He warned that the slightest "mistake" could "lead to a major escalation," as the Israeli army carries out near-daily strikes in southern Lebanon.

The cease-fire agreement requires Hezbollah to disarm across all Lebanese territory. On Aug. 5, the Beirut government decided to regain the monopoly on arms and tasked the army with drafting a plan, which was approved a month later.

The troops are currently operating south of the Litani River, in the border area with Israel, working to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure.

Hezbollah does not oppose these operations in this zone but rejects any complete disarmament in the rest of the country.

The Israeli outlet asked Abagnara about the construction and strengthening of the pro-Iranian militia’s military infrastructure between 2006 — the year Resolution 1701 was adopted after the July war between Hezbollah and Israel — and 2024.

"It’s not simple, and we have tried to do our best," he replied. He also highlighted the important role of the Lebanese army. "There are now an adequate number of Lebanese soldiers on the ground. But in the past, there were not as many troops," he noted.

The interview aired as a UNIFIL patrol was attacked on the Tiri road in the Bint Jbeil district during the night of Dec. 3 to 4, 2025. The Lebanese Army said it had arrested six people. UNIFIL condemned the attack in a Dec. 5 statement. The peacekeepers "warned Lebanese parties against any reaction that could further aggravate the situation."