Lebanon is ready to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which involves deploying the Lebanese army south of the Litani River, Prime Minister Najib Mikati stated on Monday.
Following a meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Mikati indicated on Monday that Lebanon is willing to deploy its army south of the Litani River in coordination with UN peacekeepers, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
This announcement comes in response to international calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
Resolution 1701, enacted in 2006, concluded a 33-day conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and called for a cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, and an increase in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to oversee the ceasefire alongside the Lebanese army.
The resolution established a demilitarised zone between the Lebanon-Israel border and the Litani River, allowing only the Lebanese army and UNIFIL forces to carry arms in that region. Israel has accused Hezbollah of breaching the resolution by deploying troops south of the Litani River.
On Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant suggested that the Israeli military is preparing for a ground offensive to expel Hezbollah from the border area.
Since September 23, Israel has escalated airstrikes across Lebanon, culminating in a significant strike on Friday in the southern suburbs of Beirut that reportedly killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and numerous associates.
This escalation has intensified ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, which began on October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza, prompting retaliatory artillery fire and airstrikes from Israel in southeastern Lebanon.
A new policy brief released on Monday by several UN agencies highlights the devastating impact of recent Israeli attacks on Lebanon’s economy.
Poverty rates are projected to reach 94 per cent in the Nabatieh Governorate and 87 per cent in the South Governorate, both severely affected by the destruction.
The brief stresses that "ending the conflict and addressing its root causes is crucial for the well-being of the people in the region and the stability of the entire area."
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