UN warns of new conflict between Israel, Hezbollah
AP
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned in a new report that unauthorized weapons in the hands of Hezbollah and threatening rhetoric from the Lebanese militant group and Israeli officials heightens risk of miscalculation and escalation into conflict, reports AP. The U.N. chief called on Hezbollah and Israel, who fought a war in 2006, to exercise restraint at all times and refrain from potentially inflammatory comments. Guterres said in the report to the U.N. Security Council circulated Friday that allegations of arms transfers to Hezbollah continue on a regular basis, which the U.N. takes seriously. But it is not in a position to substantiate them independently, he said. The U.N. resolution that ended the 2006 war calls for Hezbollah and all other militias operating in Lebanon to be disarmed and demobilized. It also calls for the 10,700-strong U.N. peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL to monitor a zone south of the Litani River near Israels border where Hezbollah is banned from keeping weapons. Guterres said Israel informed UNIFIL of the alleged presence of Hezbollah weapons and infrastructure in three specific locations in that zone, which the U.N. force closely monitored, including by aerial reconnaissance, satellite imagery and patrols.
