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
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Bahrain officials on Thursday on the final leg of a trip to the Middle East where he has sought to sell the Trump administration's preliminary Iran accord to skeptical Gulf Arab allies.
The Syrian Liberal Party has issued a bold call for a decisive international military alliance to disarm Hezbollah and restore full stability to Lebanon, proposing that Beirut formally request assistance from the existing US-sponsored international counterterrorism coalition.
The United States' top diplomat sought backing from sceptical Gulf allies on Wednesday for President Donald Trump's deal with Iran to end their war, while in another challenge to the accord, Israel insisted it would keep troops in southern Lebanon.
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