United States Warns Not To See UN Troops In Lebanon In Danger

UNIFIL troops on the Israeli border of Lebanon. (WIkimedia Commons/Irish Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - The United States does not want UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon to be in danger in any way, including being attacked by Israel, the State Department said on Monday, adding the mission played an important role in building security in the country.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the US considers Israel's land operations in Lebanon to continue to be restricted so far, as Israeli forces appear ready to expand ground attacks on southern Lebanon during a year-long war in Gaza.

Miller said Washington had explained to Israel that they wanted the road to Beirut airport to continue operating.

"We don't want to see UNIFIL troops in danger in any way. UNIFIL forces play an important role in building security in Lebanon," Miller told reporters Monday.

The UN Temporary Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement on Sunday they were deeply concerned about what they called Israel's "new activity" adjacent to the position of the mission in Lebanon.

The mission was mandated by the Security Council to help the Lebanese army keep the region free of weapons and armed personnel other than the Lebanese state. This has sparked tensions with Hezbollah, which effectively controls southern Lebanon.

Earlier, the Israeli military called on UN peacekeeping forces last week to prepare to move more than 5 km (3 miles) from the border between Israel and Lebanon, known as the Blue Line, "as soon as possible, to keep you safe," according to a quote from the message, seen by Reuters.

Last Thursday, the head of the UN peacekeeping force said members of the mission remained on site and provided the only communication route between the two countries' militaries.

It is known, the focus of the war has shifted further north to Lebanon, where Israeli forces have been shooting each other with Hezbollah since the Iran-backed group launched a series of missiles to support Hamas on October 8.

Israeli attacks, which have killed more than 1,000 people in the past two weeks, have triggered mass evacuations from southern Lebanon, where more than 1 million people have fled.