(MENAFN)
Belgium on Tuesday strongly criticized Israel for targeting clearly identified UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, emphasizing the need to uphold UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

In a statement shared on X, the Belgian Foreign Ministry voiced concern about a barrier constructed "illegally" by Israel along Lebanon’s southern frontier.

"This is a breach of international law and the territorial integrity," the ministry added.

The incident follows a Sunday statement from the Lebanese army condemning Israeli tank fire directed at a UNIFIL patrol in southern Lebanon. The army also accused Israel of violating Lebanese sovereignty and hindering the full deployment of its forces in the south.

UNIFIL said the attack, near a position built by Israel inside Lebanese territory, constitutes a "serious violation" of the 2006 UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The resolution demands a halt to hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel and calls for a weapons-free zone stretching from the Litani River to the "Blue Line," the UN-mapped boundary separating Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Southern Lebanon has seen rising tensions in recent weeks, with the Israeli military conducting near-daily air raids targeting alleged Hezbollah positions and infrastructure.

Since October 2023, Israel’s operations in Lebanon have reportedly killed over 4,000 people and injured nearly 17,000. A ceasefire declared in November 2024 required Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon by January, but the army only partially pulled back, maintaining forces at five border outposts.

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