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Live updates on Israel Hezbollah’s war: UN peacekeepers remain in their positions on Lebanon’s southern border

U.N. peacekeepers remain in their positions on Lebanon’s southern border despite Israel’s request to clear some sites before the start of its latest ground operation, the U.N. peacekeepers chief said.

Jean-Pierre LaCroix said the commander and liaison officers of the force, known as UNIFIL, were also in constant contact with their counterparts in the Israel Defense Forces and the Lebanese Forces, which he described as “very important” in protecting the United Nations’ 10,000 peacekeepers, which is of utmost importance.

UNIFIL is also “the only communication channel between the parties,” he emphasized. “The peacekeepers are also working with partners to do everything possible to protect the population.”

He said at a news conference on Thursday that UNIFIL had foreseen the scenario of a “limited, targeted ground operation” by Israel and thoroughly discussed whether or not UN peacekeepers should stay – and they decided to stay for now.

But LaCroix stressed that “we are constantly reviewing the situation” and have contingency plans in place for both good and bad scenarios, which he declined to discuss. He stressed that the parties have a duty to protect UN peacekeepers, “and I want to insist on that.”

Israeli ground forces entered southern Lebanon early Tuesday, marking a significant escalation of their offensive against Hezbollah militants. The offensive also marks a new front against Hezbollah’s Iranian backers following the Israeli airstrike that killed the group’s longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

UNIFIL was founded to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon following the 1978 Israeli invasion. After the war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, the United Nations expanded its mission and allowed the deployment of peacekeepers along the Israeli border.

The UN Security Council resolution to end this war called for the disarmament of all armed groups – including Hezbollah – and the deployment of the Lebanese army on the Israeli border. After 17 years, neither happened.