Israeli Military Responds to Road Building by Lebanon Beyond Northern ‘Blue Line’

On Thursday, Beirut news channel Al-Mayadeen reported that bulldozing by a Lebanese local government has commenced along Lebanon's border with Israel in the Kafr Shuba hills. The construction is said to be taking place beyond the United Nations demarcation line, drawing concern from Israeli authorities.

In response to the excavation project, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) allegedly used smoke grenades to disrupt the work. However, as of now, no official statement has been released by Israel regarding the incident.

The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that the municipality of Kafr Shuba initiated the paving of the road on Thursday, citing its purpose as facilitating the movement of citizens. The report stated that the building project is viewed as a response to recent Israeli construction of a security wall in the area. The local mayor Qassem Al-Qadri called the Israeli actions “part of the provocation that has been going on for more than a month.”

The situation has been further complicated by a dispute over territory in Chebaa Farms and the Kfar Chouba hills. In June, Israel filed a complaint with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) due to Hezbollah agents constructing tents on Israel's side of the border. These areas were captured from Syria during the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed by Israel in 1981. However, the Lebanese government asserts that the land belongs to Lebanon.