UN force sounds alarm over Israeli 'destruction' in south Lebanon

BEIRUT

The United Nations' peacekeeping force in Lebanon expressed concern on Thursday at the "continuing" damage done by Israeli forces in the country's south despite a ceasefire in the war with Hezbollah.

The truce went into effect on Nov. 27, about two months after Israel stepped up its bombing campaign and later sent troops into Lebanon following nearly a year of exchanges of cross-border fire initiated by Hezbollah over the war in Gaza.

The warring sides have since traded accusations of violating the truce.

Under the ceasefire agreement, UNIFIL peacekeepers and the Lebanese army were to redeploy in south Lebanon, near the Israeli border, as Israeli forces withdrew over 60 days.

UNIFIL said in a statement on Thursday that "there is concern at continuing destruction by the IDF (army) in residential areas, agricultural land and road networks in south Lebanon".

The statement added that "this is in violation of Resolution 1701", which was adopted by the U.N. Security Council and ended the last Israel-Hezbollah war of 2006.

The U.N. force also reiterated its call for "the timely withdrawal" of Israeli troops from Lebanon, and "the full implementation of Resolution 1701".

The resolution states that Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers should be the only forces in south Lebanon, where Hezbollah exerts control, and also calls for Israeli troops to withdraw from Lebanese territory.

"Any actions that risk the fragile cessation of hostilities must cease," UNIFIL said.

On Monday the force had urged "accelerated progress" in the Israeli military's withdrawal.

Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) reported on Thursday "extensive" operations by Israeli forces in the south.

It said residents of Qantara fled to a nearby village "following an incursion by Israeli enemy forces into their town".

On Wednesday the NNA said Israeli aircraft struck the eastern Baalbek region, far from the border.