Key facts
- UNIFIL reported increased Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon.
- Projectile launches into Lebanon have increased over the past two weeks.
- UNIFIL urged all parties to avoid provocative actions.
- Iran will bar two French embassy employees from returning.
- Tehran claims the French diplomats violated the Vienna Convention.
- Iran alleges the diplomats supported Iranian civil society.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has documented a notable increase in Israeli military operations and projectile firings directed into Lebanon during the past two weeks. This surge in activity has prompted UNIFIL to issue a call for restraint, urging all involved parties to refrain from provocative actions as tensions escalate in the region. The peacekeeping force's report highlights a growing concern over potential further destabilization in southern Lebanon.
In a separate development, Iran has declared that two employees of the French embassy will be prohibited from re-entering the country. These individuals were previously implicated in a diplomatic dispute between Iran and France. Tehran's official statement asserts that the French diplomats engaged in activities that contravened the Vienna Convention, specifically by providing support to Iranian civil society. This action by Iran signals a continuation of diplomatic friction with Western nations.