UN Force Says 'Widespread Destruction' In South Lebanon

Israel's escalating war against Hezbollah has caused widespread destruction of towns and villages in southern Lebanon, the UN peacekeeping force in the area said Friday.

The UNIFIL force's spokesman said it was more important than ever for the peacekeepers to remain in place, despite repeated attacks on their positions by Israeli forces.

"The escalation along the Blue Line is causing widespread destruction of towns and villages in south Lebanon, while rockets continue to be launched towards Israel, including civilian areas," said Andrea Tenenti, spokesman for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

The Blue Line is the demarcation line between Israel and Lebanon.

"The devastation and destruction of many villages along the Blue Line, and even beyond, is shocking," Tenenti told a media briefing in Geneva, via video-link from Beirut.

"The role of UNIFIL at the moment is more important than ever. We need to be here. We need to try to bring back stability and peace to this region," he added.

UNIFIL was set up in 1978 to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces after they invaded Lebanon, and to help the Lebanese government restore authority over the border region.

Tenenti said the mission currently had more than 10,000 peacekeepers from 52 contributing countries, which shows international "commitment to bring back stability to this region that has been devastated by conflict for the last 12 months".

The troops were "incredibly resilient" and "the morale is still very high", he added.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the UN to move the peacekeepers out of "harm's way", saying Hezbollah was using them as "human shields".

They have decided to stay put in their 29 positions close to the Blue Line.

"It's important for the UN flag to still fly there, and because we are there at the request of the Security Council, there was also a strong and vocal voice from... the international community to stay," said Tenenti.

"Immediately after that, we've been targeted several times, five times. And deliberate attacks," he added.

The attacks have sparked international criticism, but Israel's army says it is not targeting the UN peacekeepers or their positions.

Tenenti said UNIFIL was allowed to act in self-defence, "but we also have to be very pragmatic on when to use it and how to use it because we don't want to become part of the conflict -- and using force, that could trigger more violence.

"It's very important at the moment to decrease the violence, to decrease the tension."

In recent weeks, most UNIFIL patrols had been suspended, he said. But they continue to monitor the situation from their positions, adding that the safety of the mission was the top priority.

Hezbollah has been exchanging cross-border fire with Israel for more than a year. It says it is acting in response to Israel's devastating ground and air assaults in Gaza.

The war in Gaza began after the armed wing of the Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise attack from the territory into Israel on October 7, 2023.

The war has left at least 1,418 people dead in Lebanon, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry figures, though the real toll is likely higher.