Overview
- Israel’s military notified UNIFIL of planned aerial releases and instructed peacekeepers to stay clear, triggering the cancellation of more than a dozen activities and a nine-hour pause.
- UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army collected samples for toxicology testing, and results had not been received as of the latest reports.
- UN officials cautioned that the unidentified substance could endanger civilians, peacekeepers, and agricultural land, and restated calls to honor obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
- Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun condemned the spraying as an environmental and health crime and ordered diplomatic and legal measures in response.
- UNIFIL said similar aerial releases have happened before, while environmental groups warned of potential long-term damage and noted restricted access to evaluate the affected areas.