The risk of a regional escalation of the war between Israel and Hamas remains "significant," the head of the UN peacekeeping forces warned on Friday, cautioning against the perception that the involved parties will avoid crossing certain lines.
A UNIFIL logistical convoy departed from Naqoura © Pasqual Gorriz (UN)
The risk of a regional escalation of the war between Israel and Hamas remains "significant," the head of the UN peacekeeping forces warned on Friday, cautioning against the perception that the involved parties will avoid crossing certain lines.
“Some may feel that there are rules which none of the parties want to break, and that, consequently, we are in a more stable situation than it seems,” explained Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, during a press conference in Brussels. However, he stressed that "there remains a very significant risk of escalation at the regional level" and warned, "We are still in a very, very dangerous situation."
UNIFIL's Limited Impact in Southern Lebanon
The UN forces deployed in Southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) have faced criticism for their inability to effectively prevent Hezbollah's attacks against Israel. Despite a 2006 UN resolution aimed at pushing Hezbollah militants 30 kilometers away from the border, this mandate has never been fully implemented.
Today, Southern Lebanon has reportedly become a vast depot of weapons and a command center for Hezbollah, challenging the peacekeeping force's mandate and highlighting the ongoing volatility in the region. The situation underscores the UN’s limited ability to enforce peace and security in an area increasingly dominated by armed factions.
By Francois Khoury
Lebanon and Syria will in the coming months begin revising decades-old trade agreements to revive their economic relationship following the ouster of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in 2024, Lebanon's economy minister told Reuters on Thursday.
Yemen's Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said on Thursday that all Saudi oil and other vital facilities would be targets for the group's missiles and drones if Riyadh escalated its involvement in the conflict.
High in the hills above Beirut, where mist settles over crumbling villas and the past hangs heavier than the mountain air, stands a building that time has been unusually gentle with, even as neglect has not.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.