https://arab.news/8kgs8
An unusual incident took place recently between the Israeli army and UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon. UNIFIL shot down an IDF drone, saying that it displayed aggressive behavior. This followed Israel’s stepping up of targeted strikes in Lebanon in an effort to increase military and political pressure on the country, the main goal being the disarmament of Hezbollah. Following the last intense round of strikes, which decapitated the Iranian proxy, Hezbollah’s disarmament was highlighted when hostilities stopped in November 2024, and Israel is now losing patience.
At the time, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, clearly stated that the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in its entirety, without any amendments, was a priority. As a reminder, the 1701 resolution is what ended the 2006 war. So, in short, we have a double-dipping resolution to stop the war, but Hezbollah is still armed. Moreover, despite the plans from the Lebanese government, and US diplomats from Tom Barrack to Morgan Ortagus mixing carrot and stick, the Lebanese government and armed forces are still unable to disarm the Iranian proxy. The Palestinian factions were disarmed — the first step — but then everything stopped.
