Israel's UN ambassador claims that UNIFIL failed to address Hezbollah's terror activities for 18 years.

On Sunday, Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon accused the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) of not fulfilling its mandate to prevent Hezbollah from establishing military bases near the border with Israel.

The IDF has discovered a military outpost in southern Lebanon, just 300 yards from the border with Israel, containing explosives and mines.

Danon stated that Hezbollah terrorists are utilizing UNIFIL outposts as concealing spots and locations for ambushes. The U.N.'s persistence in maintaining UNIFIL soldiers in the line of fire is inexplicable.

UNIFIL personnel disregarded Hezbollah bases along the border and failed to report any violations of Resolution 1701, which prohibits the Lebanese army from operating in the area for 18 years.

Unfortunately, our request for UNIFIL forces to move five kilometers (approx 3.1 miles) north of the border to stay out of the line of fire has not been accepted, as the IDF is currently working against the terrorist organization Hezbollah.

In 2006, the U.S. and other world powers passed Resolution 1701 at the United Nations Security Council to aid the Lebanese Armed Forces in assuming military control over the region, replacing Hezbollah, between the Litani River and the southern border in Lebanon. The goal of the 2006 UNIFIL mandate was to prevent a third war between Israel and the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hezbollah, which Israel had fought in 1982 and in the summer of 2006.

The revelation that Hezbollah joined Hamas' war on Israel a day after Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, indicating that UNIFIL had failed its mission, was made clear to Israeli war planners and counter-terrorism experts.

Nearly 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7, including over 30 Americans. On Sunday, a lethal Hezbollah drone attack resulted in the murder of four IDF soldiers and the injury of nearly 60 Israelis.

The Israeli government is reevaluating the threat posed by Hezbollah after its military buildup on Israel's northern border since the 2006 war, following Hamas' invasion of Israel's southern border on Oct. 7.

Hezbollah has been launching approximately 25 rockets and missiles at Israeli communities and IDF troops from terrorist compounds near UNIFIL posts in southern Lebanon over the past month, exploiting their proximity to U.N. forces. This resulted in the deaths of two IDF soldiers. Hezbollah uses compounds located above and below ground to carry out terrorist attacks against the State of Israel.

On Sunday, UNIFIL announced that peacekeepers at a U.N. position in Ramyah observed three platoons of IDF soldiers crossing the Blue Line into Lebanon. At around 4:30 a.m., while peacekeepers were in shelters, two IDF Merkava tanks destroyed the position's main gate and forcibly entered the position. They requested multiple times that the base turn out its lights. The tanks left about 45 minutes later after UNIFIL protested through its liaison mechanism, stating that IDF presence was putting peacekeepers in danger.

Peacekeepers in the same position reported the firing of several rounds 100 meters north, which emitted smoke. Despite wearing protective masks, fifteen peacekeepers experienced skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions after the smoke entered the camp. The peacekeepers are currently receiving treatment.

UNIFIL soldiers' incident in southern Lebanon is being investigated, and a dialogue on this issue will be promoted with the relevant parties at the UN in the coming days, as stated by Danon.

UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti did not immediately respond when Planet Chronicle Digital sought his comment on Danon's criticism.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged UNIFIL to remove its troops from southern Lebanon as they are being utilized as "human shields" to support the advancement of the Iranian regime-backed Hezbollah military machinery over the weekend.

Netanyahu conveyed to Guterres in Hebrew, "It is time for you to remove UNIFIL from Hezbollah's strongholds and from areas of conflict."

Despite attacks on UN positions in southern Lebanon and injuries to peacekeepers, UNIFIL peacekeepers remain in all positions and the U.N. flag continues to fly.

The Secretary-General emphasized that the safety and security of UN personnel and property must be ensured, and that the inviolability of UN premises must be respected at all times without exception. In a concerning incident that took place today, the entrance door of a UN position was intentionally breached by IDF armored vehicles.

The U.N. chief urged all parties, including the IDF, to avoid actions that endanger peacekeepers. The Secretary-General repeated his call for an end to hostilities and the execution of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

Guterres did not mention that the Hezbollah tunnel shafts discovered by the IDF were located near a UNIFIL peacekeeping observation post and other Hezbollah military installations in a zone that was supposed to be free from Hezbollah explosives and armaments. The intricate Hezbollah tunnels were found west of the Lebanese village of Labbouneh.

The Security Council of the United Nations will discuss the Lebanon situation again on Monday.