Lebanese-Israel border
Israel tells UNIFIL Lebanese officer working as Hezbollah mole
Two days after Israel-US push succeeds in expanding UN peacekeeping mission’s responsibilities in restraining Hezbollah’s military ambitions, IDF presents UNIFIL with intelligence demonstrating senior officer in the Lebanese army operating in south Lebanon is acting as an agent for the terror group; ‘We expect UNIFIL to act against Hezbollah in light of this unambiguous information,’ says ambassador Danon.
Israel has informed the UN peacekeeping mission in south Lebanon that a senior officer in the Lebanese army, who presides over a command position near the country’s border with Israel, is using his position to advance interests of the Hezbollah terror group in the area.
According to the Israeli claims made to UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon), Hezbollah deliberately planted Major Yahya Husseini in the Lebanese army as part of a broader effort to boost its influence within the military.
Husseini, the Israelis said, acts as Hezbollah’s “liaison officer” and is in continuous contact with the organization’s militants. Moreover, UNIFIL was told that he receives instructions from the organization and consistently provides it with information.
Lebanese-Israeli border (Photo: AFP)
It is the first time that a well-known source with the military’s ranks has been exposed as a Hezbollah agent.
The IDF transferred the information to UNIFIL while demanding Husseini’s immediate removal. In addition, Israel’s ambassador to the UN Danny Danon raised the subject on Thursday during a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, along with US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley and with other international ambassadors whose country’s support the Lebanese army, including France, and urged their immediate intervention.
“Hezbollah is planning for the next military campaign against Israel and is using officers in the Lebanese army as terror operatives who help it against against the IDF along the border,” Danon said.
“UNIFIL must immediately act in accordance with its new mandate and stop the infiltration of Hezbollah into the Lebanese army. We expect UNIFIL to act against Hezbollah in light of this unambiguous information.”
Danny Danon and Nikki Haley (Photo: Shahar Azran)
Two days ago, the UN Security Council approved widening UNIFIL’s mandate in south Lebanon to include a range of additional responsibilities.
From now on, UNIFIL will be required to provide a greater volume of reports to the Security Council and intensify efforts to prevent violations of Resolution 1701.
According to the decision, which was pushed by the US and Israel, the peacekeeping mission’s presence will be augmented and will also conduct patrols of territory controlled by Hezbollah.
The Lebanese army enjoys large financial injections from numerous countries, including the US, France and other countries which also supply it with weaponry.
