UNIFIL: 'Israel' violated Lebanon’s airspace 7,300 times since deal
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UN peacekeepers document escalating Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon, as Israeli violations of Resolution 1701 raise alarms ahead of a Security Council briefing.
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French UN peacekeepers patrol the Lebanese border with occupied Palestine in the village of Houla, southern Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)
UN peacekeeping forces in South Lebanon have documented more than 7,300 violations of Lebanese airspace by “Israel” since the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in November 2024, in addition to thousands of military activities north of the Blue Line, according to a UNIFIL spokesperson.
Speaking to RIA Novosti on Wednesday, UNIFIL spokesperson Danny Goffrey said that the repeated Israeli incursions constitute a clear breach of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which governs the rules of engagement and operations in southern Lebanon following the 2006 war.
Goffrey noted that since November 27, 2024, peacekeepers have also recorded over 2,400 operational activities by Israeli forces north of the Blue Line, a boundary demarcated by the United Nations and not officially recognized by Lebanon as an international border.
Wall construction crosses Blue Line
In a significant development, UNIFIL conducted a geographic survey in October of a concrete wall being constructed by Israeli forces southwest of the town of Yaroun. The survey, according to Goffrey, confirmed that the wall crosses the Blue Line and thus violates Resolution 1701.
Resolution 1701 was reached in the wake of the 2006 Israeli aggression on Lebanon. It calls for the full cessation of hostilities and the deployment of the Lebanese Army to Southern Lebanon, as well as the establishment of a demilitarized zone between the Blue Line and the Litani River.
UN peacekeepers observed the construction of another barrier in November, this time southeast of Yaroun. Goffrey confirmed that this wall, too, surpassed the Blue Line. He stated that UNIFIL would formally notify “Israel” of both violations.
He emphasized the responsibility of Israeli forces to refrain from hostile actions or any attacks that may threaten UN peacekeepers operating within their mandate area.
Full report to UN Security Council due Thursday
UNIFIL is expected to submit a detailed report to the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, outlining all recorded violations of Resolution 1701. According to Goffrey, the report will include:
- All Israeli airspace violations;
- Military activities north of the Blue Line;
- Confirmed instances of gunfire or attacks against UNIFIL forces;
- Discovered weapons caches within the mission’s area of operations.
Goffrey explained that periodic UNIFIL reports are first submitted to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres before being forwarded to the Security Council, as stipulated by Resolution 1701 and subsequent decisions.
Tomorrow’s report, he added, will present a comprehensive overview of all incidents within UNIFIL’s jurisdiction and will serve as a basis for further discussions on “Israel’s” compliance with international mandates in southern Lebanon.
1 killed, 11 wounded, incl. students, in IOF strike on South Lebanon
The report comes at a time of escalating Israeli aggression against Lebanon. Earlier today, one person was killed and 11 others were wounded in an Israeli strike on South Lebanon.
An Israeli drone launched two missiles targeting a car in at-Tiri, in South Lebanon, while a bus transporting students was just behind it.
The strike killed a passenger in the targeted car, and the blast caused damage to the bus and wounded the students and the bus driver.
Ain al-Hilweh death toll rises
Meanwhile, the death toll from an Israeli airstrike on the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in Saida has risen to 14, according to an updated report from the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
Our correspondent had reported that the raid targeted a car garage with three missiles, causing a large number of casualties, noting that the targeted site is located on the lower street within the camp and is an open area surrounded by civilian homes.
Spiral of continuous aggression
Over the past few days alone, Israeli forces have carried out a series of attacks across southern and eastern Lebanon.
On November 18, the Lebanese Health Ministry announced that one civilian was martyred in an Israeli drone strike that targeted his vehicle in the town of Blida, located in the Marj'youn Governorate in South Lebanon.
On the same day, an Israeli drone also targeted a vehicle in the city of Bint Jbeil by launching two missiles at the car, killing one citizen.
On November 17, the principal of the Mansouri Public School, Mohammad Shuweikh, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the town of Mansouri in the Tyre district, South Lebanon, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent.
An Israeli Merkava tank fired on UNIFIL personnel near an Israeli-built position inside Lebanese territory, the UN's peacekeeping force in Lebanon reported on November 16.
