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Guterres visits UNIFIL, says Israeli operations inside mission area violate Resolution 1701
Summary
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres visited UNIFIL positions in southern Lebanon and told peacekeepers that Israeli forces' presence inside UNIFIL's area of operations and military activity in Lebanese territory violate Security Council Resolution 1701 and threaten peacekeepers' safety.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres visited positions of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) during a trip to southern Lebanon and told assembled mission leaders that Israeli forces' continued presence inside UNIFIL's area of operations and military operations in Lebanese territory amount to violations of Security Council Resolution 1701 and endanger U.N. peacekeepers.
"They are not just on the blue line of Lebanon, but on the front line of peace," the secretary-general told mission leadership, according to the U.N. spokesperson. He described the UNIFIL deployment as "the most challenging environment for peacekeepers anywhere." The spokesperson said U.N. peacekeepers had uncovered more than 100 weapons caches belonging to Hezbollah or other armed groups since Nov. 27.
Why this matters: The secretary-general's public criticism highlights operational risks for U.N. peacekeepers and underscores growing tensions along the Blue Line, the U.N.-demarcated boundary between Lebanon and Israel. The secretary-general's remarks were given directly to UNIFIL leadership in the field.
During the visit, the secretary-general also met with the Lebanese Armed Forces' senior leadership in southern Lebanon and later returned to Beirut where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron. The spokesperson said the secretary-general would attend a working dinner hosted by Lebanon's caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, and was expected to hold a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Beirut time.
The spokesperson summarized the secretary-general's message as supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces while stressing the temporary nature of the U.N. presence and the need for host-nation responsibility for long-term security arrangements. The U.N. did not announce any operational changes to UNIFIL's mandate at the briefing.
