Israeli Strikes in Marjayoun Near UN Peacekeepers

United Nations

Sphinx News: Ahmed Ali

As the Lebanese Army reports attacks within its Southern Marjayoun district by Israeli forces, the UN says attacks “came very close to our peacekeeping operations.”

In a statement released today by the Lebanese military, army units were in the process of setting up a monitoring post in the Sarda area of the Marjayoun district when “the vicinity of the post came under fire from the Israeli side.”

The Army additionally noted that an Israeli drone flying at low altitude had been hovering over the area, allegedly issuing threats aimed at forcing Lebanese troops to withdraw from areas along the Southern border.

In response, “the army command issued orders to reinforce the position, remain in place, and respond to sources of fire,” the statement said. The violation is being described by the Lebanese Army as a direct violation of the November 27, 2024, ceasefire and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, originally established as a means of ending hostilities between Lebanese militia group Hezbollah and the Israeli Army.

The efforts at expanding posts within Southern Lebanese districts by the Lebanese Army have been in conjunction with the state’s wider effort at reinforcing military positions and control in the South, where extension could elevate state authority and secure the border following the 2024 war.

The focus of an international meeting in Cairo on Tuesday, the Egyptian Foreign Minister met with varying high-level officials to discuss the agenda of “support for the Lebanese state to hold the exclusive right to bear arms.”

Aimed at bolstering the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Internal Security Forces (ISF) ahead of a donor conference in Paris, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told the “Preparatory Meeting for the International Conference in Support of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces” that the ultimate goal is to enable the Lebanese state to achieve “exclusivity of weapons in the hands of its national institutions.”

With Lebanese Army Commander General Rudolf Heykal and ISF Director General Major General Raed Abdallah also in attendance, Minister Abdelatty added that such a meeting among high-level officials in the region sends “a strong message of solidarity with the Lebanese state,” aligning with Beirut’s priorities set by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

Minister Abdelatty echoed the meeting’s denouncement of Israel’s continued ceasefire violations and belligerent activities along the Southern Lebanese border, contending that such developments erode both opportunities for long-term peace and regional security, while subsequently undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Lebanese state.

Polemical in his appeal, Minister Badr highlighted the importance of Israel’s “full and unconditional withdrawal from all Lebanese territory,” emphasizing the need for coordinated regional efforts aimed at implementing Resolution 1701 “without selectivity.”

The high-level meeting had also witnessed a joint plan of action between Minister Abdelatty and French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian, where both sides reaffirmed their unwavering financial and technical support for Lebanon’s state and civic institutional development. The plan of action was done in conjunction with the five-member group on Lebanon, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, France, and the United States.

While a clear Israeli response on the matter has not been elucidated, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, speaking in Geneva, Switzerland, to the United Nations Human Rights Council, told reporters, “Lebanon has received signs that the Israelis could strike civilian infrastructure and maybe the airport.” Minister Rajji clarified Lebanon’s attempts to appeal to “Western partners” to deter Israel from targeting civilian facilities, but such appeals have not yet yielded significant results.

The increasing hostilities come as Washington continues to point to the possibility of military escalation if nuclear negotiations collapse in Tehran. On Friday, February 20, Trump told reporters at the White House that a deal with Iran over its nuclear program must be reached, as he’s “considering” limited strikes as an increasing possibility. Just today, two senior Lebanese officials told Reuters that Israel has conveyed warnings that it would strike Lebanon “hard,” including civilian infrastructure such as Beirut’s airport, if Hezbollah becomes involved in any potential US-Iran war.

On the matter, Hezbollah and its leader Naim Qassem have been increasingly urged by both Lebanon and other members of the international community to disarm their weapons. Despite the Lebanese Army announcing last month its completion of phase 1 to disarm Hezbollah in the South, a recent wave of Israeli aggression on February 10 in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley and the south, which killed 10 Lebanese, prompted Hezbollah official Mahmud Qamati to speak of “a new massacre and new aggression.” Qamati, in remarks broadcast by Al-Manar, stated, “What option do we have left to defend ourselves and our country? What option do we have other than resistance? We no longer have any option.”

While the United Nations continues to be “in touch with UNIFIL forces on the ground” following the latest wave of attacks, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, remarked, “we’re trying to get a bit more detail and may have something shortly.” While we wait for further granularity on the attacks’ potential impediment to UNIFIL efforts on the ground, Dujarric noted, “our UNIFIL colleagues are in constant contact with both the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israeli Defense Forces.”