UNSC calls for protection of UN peacekeepers amid rising tensions in Lebanon

United Nations Security Council on Monday urged all parties involved in the escalating conflict along the Blue Line, the de facto border between Israel and Lebanon, to ensure the safety and security of U.N. peacekeepers in the region.

This call comes as the situation has deteriorated, with several U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) positions coming under fire in recent days, according to Pascale Baeriswyl, Switzerland’s U.N. ambassador, who addressed the council after a session focused on Lebanon.

“The members of the Security Council expressed their strong concerns after several UNIFIL positions came under fire in the past days,” Baeriswyl said, echoing the growing alarm about the deteriorating security conditions for peacekeeping forces stationed in the region.

In addition to their concern for peacekeepers, council members stressed the toll the violence has taken on civilians.

“They expressed as well their deep concern for civilian casualties and sufferings, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and the rising number of internally displaced people,” Baeriswyl added, reiterating the council’s call for all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law.

UNIFIL has been operating in southern Lebanon since 1978, with a mandate to monitor the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and support stability in the region. Despite its long-established presence, the mission has been increasingly threatened by recent hostilities. Last week, four peacekeepers were injured when Israeli shelling struck UNIFIL positions in southern Lebanon.

Since Sept. 23, Israel has intensified its military campaign in Lebanon, conducting widespread airstrikes against Hezbollah targets. The offensive, which has claimed the lives of at least 1,500 people and left more than 4,500 injured, has also resulted in the displacement of over 1.34 million Lebanese civilians.

The escalation marks the latest chapter in a conflict that has simmered for over a year between Israel and Hezbollah. What began as a series of cross-border exchanges has spiraled into a broader military confrontation, spurred by Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza, which has killed nearly 42,300 people, mostly women and children, since the beginning of hostilities following a Hamas attack last year.

Despite international calls for de-escalation, the conflict expanded further on Oct. 1, when Israel launched a ground incursion into southern Lebanon, raising fears of a wider regional war.

The Security Council emphasized the urgent need for diplomatic efforts to bring about a lasting ceasefire, urging all parties to engage in negotiations that would allow civilians displaced on both sides of the Blue Line to safely return to their homes.