Israeli Soldiers Uncover Weapons Depots in Southern Lebanon Near UN Base

On January 17, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported the discovery of weapons caches in civilian structures near a United Nations base in southern Lebanon. The troops from the 11th Brigade Combat Team unearthed various weaponry along with a tunnel shaft during their operation to eliminate Hezbollah's terror infrastructure from the region.

The IDF confirmed that all found equipment was destroyed in the operation while ensuring that the UN base remained unharmed. Following a two-month ceasefire that began on November 27, Hezbollah was expected to pull back its military presence from areas south of the Litani River, while Israeli forces were also set to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah has previously engaged in missile attacks targeting Israeli troops and nearby communities, often from positions adjacent to UNIFIL. In light of these aggressions, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to recall the UNIFIL forces, a contingent consisting of 10,500 personnel from various nations established to oversee Israel's exit from Lebanon.

UNIFIL was created in 1978 with the goal of ensuring Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon, and the "Blue Line" border demarcation established in 2000 further solidified this. Israeli officials have expressed frustration with the peacekeepers, claiming they have not effectively deterred Hezbollah's operations in the area. Since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, Hezbollah has escalated its attacks, including the use of rockets and drones targeting communities in northern Israel, despite a UN resolution forbidding their military presence south of the Litani River.