ISTANBUL

The Lebanese army has expanded its presence across southern Lebanon, redeploying to more than 120 sites, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Monday.

“Peacekeepers work closely with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to restore stability in the region,” UNIFIL said in a statement.

“With UNIFIL’s support, the LAF has redeployed to over 120 positions in south Lebanon, reinforcing state authority in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1701,” it added.

In 2006, the UN unanimously adopted Resolution 1701 to end hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, calling for a permanent ceasefire and the creation of a buffer zone.

Last month, the UN Security Council unanimously extended the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission for the last time until the end of 2026, after nearly 50 years of its presence in southern Lebanon.

Israel launched military operations in Lebanon on Oct. 8, 2023, which escalated into a full-scale war by September 2024, killing more than 4,000 people, including Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, and injuring around 17,000.

A ceasefire was reached in November, but Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target activities of the Hezbollah group.

Under the truce, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.