Israel persists its ongoing assaults and violations in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, escalating its breaches of international law, international treaties, and UN Resolution 1701. Israeli drones have been observed over the capital Beirut, expanding the of attacks beyond border areas, and posing a direct threat to civilians across Lebanon.
These ongoing violations, without any deterrent, warns of dire consequences for local and regional security. Placing the international community and the committee responsible for monitoring the implementation of Resolution 1701 under a clear obligation to take immediate action to protect Lebanese civilians from unlawful assaults that contradict international laws and norms.
According to official data from the Public Health Emergency Operations Center and the Lebanese Army Command, recent Israeli assaults have resulted in two fatalities and 26 injuries, including military personnel and civilians attempting to return to their occupied towns. Airstrikes targeted Nabatiyeh, injuring 14 civilians, while the Israeli army directly fired upon unarmed residents and Lebanese army personnel in the Yaroun – Maroun al-Ras area, resulting in injuries to one soldier and three citizens.
Firing upon civilians returning to their occupied towns is considered a war crime under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, as targeting civilians constitutes a serious violation of international laws and a clear breach of Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits targeting individuals not participating in hostilities and mandates their protection during conflicts.
Israel continues to undermine UN efforts through its repeated assaults, particularly targeting civilians and the Lebanese army, which disrupts the work of UNIFIL forces tasked with monitoring the implementation of international agreements and preventing escalation in the region. Targeting Lebanese army units while performing their duties to protect civilians is a direct violation of Security Council Resolution 1701, which clearly states the necessity of ceasing hostilities and respecting Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Lebanese Center for Human Rights reminds the international community and human rights organizations of the urgent need to act to put an end to these assaults and compel Israel to respect international law and cease targeting civilians and infrastructure in Lebanon. We emphasize the importance of supporting Lebanese efforts to protect civilians and ensure the safe return of displaced persons to their towns, away from repeated military threats that jeopardize their safety.
The continuation of these crimes without accountability will lead to further escalation, necessitating decisive international action to ensure civilian protection and end the culture of impunity that has contributed to these violations for decades.
