UN reports uptick in hostilities in southern Lebanon, records multiple airspace violations

The United Nations said on Thursday that peacekeepers in southern Lebanon recorded a sharp uptick in military activity, including dozens of airspace violations and hundreds of firing incidents.

An agency official told reporters that UNIFIL recorded 26 violations of Lebanese airspace between midnight and 4 p.m. on the day of the briefing and one air attack. "Kinetic activity has been gradually increasing since Monday, with 312 trajectories recorded between midnight and 4 p.m. today," the official said, adding that 291 of those were attributed to the Israeli Defense Forces and 21 to Hezbollah.

Why it matters: the official said the rise in activity follows several days of lower intensity and risks undermining broader regional diplomacy. The briefing noted 185 firing incidents originating from IDF positions south of the Blue Line were recorded the previous day, and at least one strike reportedly killed four people in Shukin.

The UN also reported that peacekeepers observed high-density armored movements, engineering and demolition works, and sustained logistical traffic. Humanitarians said some civilians are returning to southern towns despite "ongoing insecurity, widespread destruction, and limited access to basic services." The agency cited partner reports that more than 4,000 families returned to Nabatieh governorate between June 12 and the day before the briefing, and that two collective shelters opened in the municipality of Sria to support returnees.

The UN urged all parties to protect civilians and ensure returns are voluntary, informed and accompanied by sustained humanitarian access. "We continue to call for the protection of civilians and for return to be safe, to be voluntary, and to be informed," the official said.

Ending: The official emphasized that UNIFIL will continue to monitor the situation and that the UN is pressing for de-escalation and unfettered humanitarian access.