UNIFIL reports obstructions in south Lebanon; UN announces $12 million CERF allocation for displaced people

A United Nations agency official told reporters that UNIFIL peacekeepers observed 143 projectile trajectories today across its area of operations, with 119 attributed to the Israeli Defense Forces and the remainder to Hezbollah, and that yesterday there were 364 launches. The official described an incident north of Tiri in which two IDF tanks obstructed and briefly aimed a weapon at a UNIFIL convoy before allowing it to take an alternate route. The briefing reiterated that UNIFIL must have "unrestricted freedom of movement."

The official said meetings were held in Beirut between the deputy special coordinator and the UNIFIL head, Major General Abanyara, and Lebanon's president and parliamentary speaker; Major General Abanyara stressed UNIFIL's commitment to coordinate with the Lebanese Armed Forces and implement Security Council resolution 1701 as the framework for restoring stability in south Lebanon.

On humanitarian support, Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher announced an additional $12 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to help hundreds of thousands uprooted in Lebanon access health care, protection from gender-based violence and food-security assistance. OCHA reported nearly 50,000 people have returned to homes in Nabatieh and South Governorate, while more than 106,000 remain in collective sites.

The spokesperson framed both the security and humanitarian developments as interlinked, calling for continued protection of peacekeepers and unimpeded humanitarian access to support those displaced by the conflict.