HAMILTON, Canada

The UN on Friday warned Israel again over the latest airstrikes against southern Lebanon, calling the repeated attacks "clear violations" of Security Council Resolution 1701.

"On Thursday afternoon, peacekeepers from the peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, observed a series of Israeli airstrikes in its area of operations in south Lebanon," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference, adding that the Israeli attack "comes as the Lebanese Armed Forces continue operations to control unauthorized weapons and infrastructure in south Lebanon."

"These actions are clear violations of Security Council resolution 1701," he said, urging the Israeli military to "use the liaison and coordination mechanisms available to them to settle these issues."

Late Thursday, UN peacekeepers in Lebanon were "approached by six men on three mopeds near the Bint Jbeil area, with one man firing approximately three shots into the back of a UN vehicle," Dujarric said, emphasizing that "attacks on peacekeepers are unacceptable and serious violations of resolution 1701."

The resolution calls for a cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as well as for the establishment of a weapons-free zone between the Litani River and the Blue Line boundary mapped by the UN that separates Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

"We remind the Lebanese authorities of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers, and we demand a full and immediate investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice," he added.

A ceasefire was reached between Tel Aviv and Beirut last year, after more than a year of attacks against the backdrop of the genocide in the Gaza Strip. More than 4,000 people were killed, and 17,000 were injured.

At least 335 people have been killed and 973 others wounded in 1,038 Israeli attacks since the ceasefire agreement came into effect in November 2024, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

The Israeli army was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon in January 2025 under the ceasefire but instead only partially pulled out and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.