UN says South Lebanon faces widespread destruction

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 peacekeeping troops to remain in place, despite repeated attacks on their positions by Israeli forces.

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

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

"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," Tenenti insisted.

The UN peacekeepers have been targeted several times in what he called "deliberate attacks" attributed to Israeli forces.

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

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

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 near-daily exchange of fire across the Israel-Lebanon border has led to the displacement of tens of thousands of people on both sides even before the dramatic escalation last month when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to crush Hezbollah.

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.