Fighter jets have flown over Beirut and the areas of Bshamoun, Shweifat and Aramoun south of the capital, Al-Watania news agency reported
Israeli Air Force fighter jets entered Lebanese airspace at least 10 times on Monday. This was reported by Al-Watania news agency citing a source in the Lebanese Armed Forces command.
According to the agency, the fighter jets flew over Beirut and the areas of Bshamoun, Shoueifat and Aramoun, south of the capital. They appeared at low altitude in the skies over the towns of Jezzine, Marjayoun and Bint Jbeil, as well as over the vicinity of the port of Tyre.
On two previous occasions, Israeli naval gunboats were recorded violating the maritime border off Cape Naqurah.
Lebanon has repeatedly complained to the UN Security Council, drawing attention to Israel’s use of its airspace to launch missile strikes against military targets in neighbouring Syria. According to the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, the Israeli air force has intruded into the country’s skies more than 500 times since the beginning of 2020, with 374 violations recorded on land and 386 at sea.
The command of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon considers the Israeli reconnaissance flights to be a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which established a ceasefire on the border after the 2006 summer conflict.
At the same time, the Israeli military justifies such flights by the need to monitor the activities of Shiite armed militia Hezbollah, whose fighters are fighting in neighboring Syria on the side of government troops. Fearing Hezbollah attacks, the Israeli command declared the border area near the town of Metullah a closed military zone on January 2. Earlier, wire fence openings into Israeli territory were discovered there.