The situation in Lebanon is increasingly worrying, where the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is further escalating .
UNIFIL soldiers, including 1,300 Italians and 500 from the Sassari Brigade , remain deployed in their area of operations in Southern Lebanon and along the Blue Line, caught in crossfire between the two sides.
"Last night's violent escalation marks a further and worrying deterioration in the situation," reads a statement issued today, March 18, by UNIFIL.
"The heavy exchange of fire, the intensification of air and ground operations, and the growing presence of Israeli forces on Lebanese soil are deeply worrying developments," the UNIFIL command said. And "equally worrying" are the evacuation orders issued by the warring parties, which affect civilians on both sides of the Blue Line.
UNIFIL calls on the parties to comply with the Resolution and achieve a cessation of hostilities. However, UN peacekeepers remain "deployed throughout our area of operations in southern Lebanon and along the Blue Line, reporting violations, liaising between the parties, and, where possible, facilitating humanitarian access and the protection of civilians."
Today ( HERE are the March 18 news reports on the war ), Israeli troops bombed several towns in southern Lebanon to support the advance of ground troops . The IDF is accompanying this advance with "systematic destruction of villages to prevent the return of the civilian population," Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassam Salame reported.
The IDF also announced bombings on the bridges over the Litani River, Israel's goal being to create a larger buffer zone. And just today, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced "major surprises on all fronts, which will intensify the war we are waging against Iran and Hezbollah."
Any reconsideration of the UN's presence would be up to the UN, but yesterday Minister Crosetto himself underlined its importance : "The United Nations has decided that the UNIFIL mission will end next year. The first to ask us to remain at this stage are the Lebanese themselves and the United Nations themselves, and the contingents themselves realize the value of this peacekeeping mission in ending this ongoing war."
The mission, therefore, remains untouched. But the scenario has changed, and so have the priorities: the first priority is to "ensure the safety of the military," even more so after two days ago , a Sassari soldier was injured by missile debris . And to ensure aid to the civilian population with food, emergency kits, and medicines. Ensuring compliance with the UN Resolution is practically impossible.
(Unioneonline/L)