Lebanon files new complaint to UN Security Council over Israeli violations of ceasefire

The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants on Monday filed a complaint through the country's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York with the UN Security Council in response to Israel's repeated violations of its ceasefire agreement with Lebanon.

The Lebanese ministry said on social media platform X that between Nov. 27 and Dec. 22, Israel launched over 816 land and air attacks against Lebanon, shelling border villages, booby-trapping homes, destroying residential neighborhoods, and blocking roads.

Such violations have complicated Lebanon's efforts to implement the provisions of UN Resolution 1701, hindering the Lebanese army's deployment in the south and representing a serious threat to international efforts aimed at achieving regional security and stability, the ministry said in the complaint.

Lebanon has continuously shown the utmost restraint and cooperation to avoid falling back into "the hell of war", it said, urging the UN Security Council to take a firm and clear position towards Israel's violations and work to oblige it to respect its obligations.

It also called for strengthening support for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon and the Lebanese army to protect Lebanon's sovereignty and help the country restore stability.

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect on Nov. 27, putting an end to the confrontations that erupted on Oct. 8, 2023.

Despite the agreement, there have been multiple claims of ceasefire violations by both sides. The Israeli army has continued to carry out strikes in Lebanon, though at a significantly reduced intensity, with some attacks resulting in casualties in southern and eastern Lebanon. In response, Hezbollah fired munitions into border areas once, in early December, describing the actions as retaliation for the ongoing Israeli strikes.

Lebanon files new complaint to UN Security Council over Israeli violations of ceasefire

Lebanon files new complaint to UN Security Council over Israeli violations of ceasefire

Lebanon files new complaint to UN Security Council over Israeli violations of ceasefire

Lebanon files new complaint to UN Security Council over Israeli violations of ceasefire

Lebanon files new complaint to UN Security Council over Israeli violations of ceasefire

Yemen is once again teetering on the brink of a wider conflict, as military escalation between Yemen's Houthi group and Saudi Arabia threatens to unravel years of relative calm and complicate ongoing efforts led by the United Nations to revive the political process.

The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, claimed to have shot down a Saudi surveillance drone early Tuesday in central Yemen's Bayda Province, following exchanges of cross-border strikes that ended a period of relative calm. Although the attacks have stopped for now, tensions remain high. The Houthis say they will continue efforts to end what it describes as the blockade on the Sanaa International Airport and at Yemen's ports, raising concerns that the conflict could escalate again.

"Our military operations against Saudi airports will continue, escalate, and expand until Saudi Arabia is forced to announce an end to the aggression and the blockade. Our demands are legitimate. They include ending the aggression, lifting the blockade, and withdrawing all foreign forces from Yemen. Keeping the current situation unchanged means the suffering of the Yemeni people will continue," said Mohammed Al-bukhaiti, a member of the Political Bureau of Ansar Allah (Houthis).

Concerns are not limited to continued cross-border strikes, with increasing fears that fighting on the ground could return after reports of military buildups near the Yemen-Saudi border.

Analysts say that a wider conflict could push Yemen back into a more complex phase of the war and undermine the de-escalation that has largely held since the UN-brokered truce in 2022.

"I believe what is happening now is the calm before the storm. Sanaa is continuing its escalation, and all indications point to that, including the ongoing tribal mobilization, military buildups, and Sanaa's repeated statements that it will continue escalating until all forms of the blockade on the Republic of Yemen are lifted. All these factors indicate that a major escalation could take place in the next phase. The situation is dangerous and could turn into serious problems if it is not addressed and political understandings are not reached to end this situation," said Ahmed Al-Mukhtafi, a political analyst. At the same time, the UN is trying to prevent the crisis from worsening, with UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Tuesday holding talks in the Omani capital Muscat with Omani officials and the chief Houthi negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam.

The representatives reportedly discussed ways to reduce tensions and restart the political process, including covering military, security, and economic issues, in an effort to keep the chances of a comprehensive peace agreement alive.

Yemen edging closer to wider conflict as Houthis, Saudi Arabia trade strikes