BEIRUT: UNIFIL forces were attacked on Thursday by residents in the town of Aitat, south of the Litani River. The assailants claimed that the patrol had entered the Wadi Jilou area without being accompanied by a Lebanese Army unit.

According to footage captured by eyewitnesses, a group of individuals blocked the patrol’s way, demanding that it return with a Lebanese Army escort. The patrol reportedly refused to turn back, leading to direct confrontations.

In response, UNIFIL personnel threw smoke and tear gas grenades to disperse the crowd. No injuries were reported.

The attack is merely the latest in a series of assaults targeting UNIFIL forces and carried out by civilians in strongholds.

These incidents aim to prevent UN peacekeepers from entering private property to conduct inspections, a key component of their official mandate.

The most recent renewal of UNIFIL’s mission in southern Lebanon included an amendment granting the force greater freedom of movement within its area of operations, in coordination with the Lebanese Army.

The tensions peaked on Thursday, when a resident of the town of Hallousiyeh–Deir Qanoun an-Naher hit a UNIFIL soldier during a patrol. The incident was widely condemned by political leaders, and a judicial investigation was launched.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet at the end of August to consider the Lebanese government’s request to extend UNIFIL’s mandate in the south.

In response to the attack, UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said that a patrol of the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon was blocked and pelted with stones by “a group of individuals in civilian clothes” in the southern village of Wadi Jilu.

“The group attempted to obstruct the patrol using aggressive means, including throwing stones at the peacekeepers,” he said.

“The LAF was promptly informed and arrived on the scene shortly thereafter. The situation was quickly brought under control,” Tenenti added, referring to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Tenenti confirmed that the activity of the patrol was coordinated in advance with the LAF, in support of Lebanon’s implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701. The situation was initially calm, but individuals soon began throwing stones at the peacekeepers.

“In response, UNIFIL personnel employed non-lethal measures to ensure the safety of both the patrol members and those present,” he said.

“Freedom of movement is a core requirement for the implementation of UNIFIL’s mandate. This includes the ability to operate independently and impartially, as outlined in UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Any restriction on this freedom — while conducting operational activities with or without LAF — constitutes a violation of that resolution.”

Tenenti urged Lebanese authorities to “take all necessary measures to ensure that its peacekeepers can carry out their duties without obstruction or threat.”

The UNIFIL spokesperson confirmed that the international forces will continue to monitor and report breaches of Resolution 1701 impartially, in accordance with the Security Council's mandate and the request of the Lebanese government.

UNIFIL’s mandate shall “confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, restore international peace and security, and assist the Government of Lebanon in ensuring its effective authority in the area.”

US Envoy Thomas Barrack concluded his two-day visit to Lebanon, which began on Monday, to discuss a mechanism for disarming Hezbollah and withdrawing illegal weapons south and north of the Litani River.

He inspected the area south of the Litani River by air after meeting with Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haikal. At a press conference in Beirut, he praised the Lebanese Army and the key role it plays.

The attack on the UNIFIL patrol drew widespread condemnation from Lebanese political figures. MP Bilal Abdallah underlined the importance of the peacekeeping mission, stating that “there is a major national interest in preserving its role.”

MP Ashraf Rifi condemned the attack, saying: “Hezbollah is once again attacking UNIFIL. How can this be reconciled while pretending to accept the Resolution 1701 and evacuating south of the Litani River?”

He urged the state to hold “the aggressors accountable” and move to a new phase where there is “zero tolerance” for those who violate international legitimacy and expose Lebanon to grave dangers.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued targeting Hezbollah operatives. On Thursday, an Israeli drone struck a motorcycle on Mansouri Road in the Tyre district, killing one person and injuring two, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

At dawn, an Israeli drone launched an airstrike on a cafe and an aluminum workshop in the town of Yohmor al-Shaqif, in the Nabatieh District. The site had previously been targeted in a similar strike.

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said that “the strike targeted a Hezbollah military command center allegedly operating within a civilian building,” accusing the group of using the local population as “human shields” to facilitate attacks against Israel.

Sky News quoted an Israeli security source saying that as long as Hezbollah maintains a military wing, operations in Lebanon will persist.

“Every Hezbollah operative is a legitimate target. The Radwan Forces — Hezbollah’s elite unit — will be dismantled, whether by Hezbollah or by us. Their infrastructure, weaponry, and fighters remain targets throughout Lebanese territory,” the source told Sky News.

The Israeli security source noted that “Hezbollah’s efforts to return south of the Litani River appear limited” and praised what he described as “significant efforts by the Lebanese army to dismantle the group’s weapons infrastructure.”

On Tuesday night, the Israeli army claimed that a drone strike killed Hussein Ali Mezher in the town of Babliyeh, north of the Litani River.

In an official statement, the army claimed that Mezher was overseeing rocket fire in the Zahrani sector as part of Hezbollah’s Badr unit. He was reportedly responsible for launching attacks on Israeli territory and was involved in efforts to rebuild the group’s artillery capabilities in southern Lebanon.

Media reports on Thursday in Lebanese outlets suggested that Hezbollah has begun implementing a new organizational strategy aimed at consolidating several of its jihadi and executive units, along with institutions that share similar functions.

This internal restructuring effort, according to reports, is intended to adapt to current realities, with the group reportedly seeking to streamline its operations, rationalize expenditures, and optimize its structure in response to evolving circumstances.

The Israeli army announced on Wednesday the launch of “special, targeted” ground operations in southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in Jabal al-Blat and al-Labbouneh.

Forces from the 300th and 9th brigades reportedly dismantled weapons depots and missile launch sites belonging to the group, aiming to prevent Hezbollah from “reestablishing itself in the area,” the army said.

A Lebanese security source told Arab News that “the operations took place over the past two weeks, targeting sites in valleys and hills under Hezbollah’s security control, areas that remain inaccessible to the Lebanese army.”

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam confirmed last month that the Lebanese army had dismantled more than 500 weapons sites and depots in the area south of the Litani River.