International UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon suspends patrols

The UN observer mission Unifil is temporarily suspending its patrols in the border area between Israel and Lebanon due to the increased danger to its personnel. A UN spokesperson told journalists on Monday that the risk posed by the mutual shelling between Israel's army and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia made it necessary for the blue helmets to remain at their bases. Some civilian members of the peacekeeping mission had been sent with their families to the capital Beirut, further north, where the danger was lower.

Israel's military and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon have been fighting for months in the border area between the two countries, which has intensified significantly in recent days and weeks. The latest attacks by Israel, which left hundreds dead and even more injured on Monday, are the most serious in almost two decades and are fueling fears of an uncontrollable escalation in the region.

The UN observer mission Unifil has been monitoring the border area between Israel and Lebanon since 1978. In August, three blue helmets were slightly injured in an explosion near their vehicle in southern Lebanon. The mission - one of the oldest active ones within the UN framework - comprises around 10,000 soldiers and 800 civilians. Since the mission began almost 50 years ago, more than 300 peacekeepers have lost their lives.

SDA