The IDF officially admitted that UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) forces operating in southern Lebanon have been collecting intelligence on IDF soldiers.
Military representatives revealed the disturbing information during a confidential session of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
According to the representatives at the committee session, the intelligence collected by the UN forces flows directly to the Hezbollah terrorist organization.
The flow of sensitive information to terrorist entities in Lebanon severely threatens the lives of IDF troops operating in the region.
In recent months, IDF officials have been warning that the forces have been working against the IDF and exceeding their authority on the ground.
In an interview with Ynet several months ago, a senior military official in the Northern Command voiced fierce criticism of UNIFIL's conduct and did not hold back from using strong language against the "peacekeeping" force.
"We find them documenting IDF forces, and not documenting the border and things that are under their authority," the official stated. "We sent blunt and clear messages in protest of their spry and unusual activities. We understand that they are not a helpful force, but a foreign force that does suspicious and unusual things beyond their authority."
It should be noted that UNIFIL numbers approximately 13,000 troops and was first deployed in southern Lebanon in 1978. In August of last year, the United Nations Security Council extended UNIFIL’s mandate in the area through the end of 2026. Under that decision, the UN force is scheduled to withdraw from Lebanon in 2027.