'Flagrant violation': Danny Danon demands UNSC condemn Hezbollah, enforce resolution 1701

Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, made an appeal to the UN Security Council, demanding a condemnation of Hezbollah's aggression and a process of enforcing Resolution 1701 in a letter directed to the President of the UNSC on Sunday. 

Earlier on Sunday morning, the IAF executed a preemptive raid in southern Lebanon, striking thousands of rocket launchers positioned towards Israel and timed to fire at 5:00 am. In retaliation to the obstruction of the attack, Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets and drones toward Israel, the bulk of which the IDF successfully intercepted.

“The State of Lebanon and the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which is operating under the guidance of Iran, bear responsibility for the deterioration of the security situation on the northern front,” Danon stated in the letter. 

Since the day after the October 7 massacre, Hezbollah has launched over 7,500 rockets and hundreds of explosive UAVS at Israel, resulting in extensive damage and the ongoing evacuation of over 60,000 civilians from northern Israel, he added.

“These actions have been carried out as part of a wider strategy by the Iranian axis aimed at the destruction of Israel through attacks from multiple fronts," Ambassador Danon continued.

“The Hezbollah attack against Israel planned for this morning unequivocally demonstrates the presence of illegal weapons in southern Lebanon, in flagrant violation of UNSCR 1701 (2006), and serves as a reminder of the threats Israelis have been facing on a daily basis for the past 11 months. This situation highlights the urgent need to demilitarize the area south of the Litani River and achieve the disarmament of Hezbollah and other armed militias operating in southern Lebanon,” Danon continued.

Danon emphasized that Israel has every right to take all "necessary and lawful measures to protect itself and its citizens" against Hezbollah and any other hostile act executed by the Iranian Axis, highlighting, however, that Israel is not interested in a full-scale war. 

"I call upon the Security Council members to condemn in the strongest terms the ongoing hostilities conducted by Hezbollah and its Iranian patron and their relentless attempts to destabilize the region."

Danon concluded by requesting that, as UNIFIL's mandate is being renewed, these issues are addressed and that UNIFIL effectively fulfills its task in rigorously enforcing Resolution 1701, which would ensure the disarming of Hezbollah forces south of the Litani River in Lebanon.