The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Wednesday that its peacekeepers, during a joint operation with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), discovered a Hezbollah tunnel and multiple unexploded munitions near the town of Al-Qussair in southern Lebanon.
“In line with resolution 1701, the findings were handed over to the LAF,” said UNIFIL, which added that it “continues to patrol, monitor, and work with the LAF to help bring back stability and security to the area of operations.”
Hezbollah sustained significant losses in its conflict with Israel last year, which concluded with a ceasefire agreement in November.
Israel has continued to strike Hezbollah targets in Lebanon since the ceasefire went into effect, due to the fact that the terrorist organization has continued to reestablish its infrastructure in violation of the agreement.
UNIFIL acts as a buffer between Lebanon and Israel and operates near the border. One of its tasks is to implement Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the Second Lebanon War in 2006.
Israel and the US have long argued that UNIFIL has been a largely ineffective presence. The peacekeepers have repeatedly been accused of turning a blind eye to Hezbollah's massive military build-up, and their presence has at times been seen as an impediment to Israeli security operations.
In October of 2024, the IDF revealed that approximately 25 rockets and missiles had been launched at Israeli communities and IDF troops from Hezbollah’s terrorist compounds embedded near UNIFIL posts in southern Lebanon, exploiting their proximity to UN forces. One of the attacks resulted in the deaths of two IDF soldiers.
As a result of these attacks, the IDF conducted strikes near UNIFIL posts, making sure to warn the peacekeepers beforehand and requesting that they vacate the posts. Nevertheless, UNIFIL accused Israel of deliberately targeting its peacekeepers.