
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres directed Israel to entirely withdraw from Lebanese territory by January 27, Emirates News Agency WAM reported.
This came after he visited the Lebanese border town of Naqoura, home to the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which was recently vacated by Israeli forces. He met with Lebanese newly-elected President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister-Designate Nawaf Salam.
Following the meeting, Guterres shared pictures on X and wrote “Today I congratulated Nawaf Salam on his designation as Prime Minister of Lebanon. The road ahead for Lebanon is filled with promise but also great tests. As the Lebanese people travel this road together, the @UN is proud to stand with them”.
“I look forward to working together to consolidate the cessation of hostilities and preserve the country’s security and stability,” he wrote in another post.
The UN Chief also met with the UNIFIL team in Naqoura and appreciated their dedication and resilience despite Israel’s attacks that have left several organisation members critically injured and dead across the conflicted regions.
Sharing meeting footage on X, he wrote “It’s an honour to meet @UNIFIL_peacekeepers in Lebanon. In the face of strikes across the Blue Line, they stood with bravery, dedication and resilience. Some were injured while carrying out their duties. Attacks against peacekeepers are completely unacceptable & in breach of international law”.
Earlier, the Lebanese ministry revealed on social media platform X that between November 27 and December 22, 2024, Israel launched over 816 land and air attacks against Lebanon, shelling border villages, booby-trapping homes, destroying residential neighbourhoods, and blocking roads.
Such violations complicate Lebanon’s efforts to implement the provisions of UN Resolution 1701, hinder the Lebanese army’s deployment in the south, and represent a serious threat to international efforts aimed at achieving regional security and stability, it said in the complaint.
Despite the ceasefire, Israel has conducted intermittent strikes in Lebanon, some of which have caused casualties.
Israel maintains the strikes target Hezbollah militants it accuses of violating the agreement.