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And while there is the battle wasn’t too tough today along the Blue Line that separates Lebanon from Israel, ceasefire violations are still being reported when Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces clashed – an escalation that began soon after the Israeli-US bombing of Iran began on February 28.
Correspondingly Security Council mandate, UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFILE) continues to support efforts to achieve long-term security and stability for the people of the region.
“The level of violence has reduced, but we continue to record a number of violations of Resolution 1701 every day,” said UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel.
Read our explanation of Resolution 1701 here.
“Peacekeepers are working, including through our liaison and coordination mechanisms, to consolidate the stability gains we have seen and continue efforts toward security and stability for all people living along the Blue Line.”
The reduction in fighting has allowed many Lebanese refugee families to return to their homes in the south, although major challenges remain. In many villages and towns including Majdal Zoun, Kafra and Tyre, heavy shelling has devastated the land, while homes, schools and health centers are reduced to ruins.
The Blue Line holds
On the issue of the Israeli military’s “Yellow Line” buffer zone located about five to 10 kilometers (3.1 to 6.2 miles) north of the Blue Line, Ms. Ardiel described it as a military boundary self-imposed by the Israel Defense Forces and not recognized by the UN.
“For the UN and UNIFIL, the Blue Route is the only relevant route,” he said. “Any Israeli presence north of the Blue Line is considered a violation of Resolution 1701.”
According to UNIFIL, Israeli forces continue to operate in areas north of the Blue Line, where peacekeepers monitor military activity and continue to urge all parties to maintain recent gains in stability.
Houses were destroyed
Along the Blue Line, the situation is very challenging for many families and especially in southern Lebanon. Ms. Ardiel noted the recent increase in the number of refugees returning after several waves of displacement in 2023, 2024 and this year. Many families, he said, are returning to a “very different scenario” than the one they left.
“They returned to destroyed villages,” explained Mrs. Ardiel. “Communities are trying to rebuild their lives but face enormous challenges, including damaged infrastructure and limited access to water, electricity, hospitals and schools..”
Other residents remain unable to return to their villages located near the Blue Line due to ongoing insecurity.
Despite these difficulties, UNIFIL continues to support the community wherever possible, organizing blood drives to help Marjayoun Hospital treat trauma victims and/or by donating children’s toys and other equipment to the Istanbouli Theater in Tyre.
“We are here as peacekeeping troops, we are here to help build and consolidate stability,” stressed Mrs. Ardiel. “We connect and coordinate between parties to ensure safe passage for humanitarian actors and city governments carrying out infrastructure repairs. We clear roads, remove unexploded ordnance, and help create conditions for people to return safely to their communities.”
Movement restrictions
When asked whether the UNIFIL peacekeeping force could operate freely, Ardiel said patrol and monitoring activities were continuing, but obstacles sometimes remained.
This includes debris and debris blocking roads, as well as unexploded ordnance that must be cleared before peacekeepers can continue their journey.
““In some cases, we were also blocked by Israeli troops, either through checkpoints, tanks or other military vehicles,” he explained. “These incidents are usually short-lived.”
Mrs. Ardiel emphasized that these restrictions did not prevent UNIFIL from carrying out its mandate.
“We remind everyone that peacekeepers have freedom of movement,” he concluded. “We have a job to do, and we have to be able to do it effectively and impartially.”
