Litani River: The UN’s attempt at a buffer zone between Israel and Hezbollah

Amid increased fear of a widening of the Middle East conflict, Israel says it will be “left with no choice” but to act if Hezbollah does not withdraw its forces north of the Litani River in southern Lebanon.

Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed 564 people, including 50 children and 94 women since Monday, according to the country’s health ministry.

The attacks come after the militant group Hezbollah, which holds huge influence in Lebanon, was targeted in a string of pager and radio explosions which have largely been attributed to Israel.

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“We risk seeing a conflagration that could dwarf even the devastation and suffering witnessed so far,” the UN’s political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the UN Security Council, of which the UK is a member, last week.

Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, said Israel does not seek a wider conflict, but it will not allow Hezbollah to continue its provocations. He accused Hezbollah of violating international law.

“If Hezbollah does not retreat from our border and back to the north of the Litani River through diplomatic efforts, Israel will be left with no choice but to use any means within our rights to defend our citizens and enable the evacuees of the north to return to their homes,” he said.

What is the Litani River and where is it?

The “lion river” is an important source of water in southern Lebanon and runs for around 110 miles.

For much of its route, it extends from East to West parallel to Lebanon’s border with Israel, providing a natural break in the landscape across much of the country’s width.

The river is a crucial lifeline for agriculture, irrigating huge swathes of farmland and supporting the nation’s food supply.

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UN Resolution 1701

As well as being a key natural feature for Lebanese society, the Litani River was a key marker in an international agreement that aimed to bring a bloody war to an end.

Following a Hezbollah raid into Israel in 2006, IDF forces initiated a comprehensive military campaign against the group that included strikes on civilian infrastructure in Lebanon.

Later that year, the UN Security Council approved Resolution 1701, which called for a full cessation of hostilities by the combatants, a full Israeli troop withdrawal from Lebanese territory, Hezbollah’s withdrawal north of the Litani River, and the deployment of UN and Lebanese army troops to maintain the peace.

By this logic, the Litani River would act as a buffer zone between Hezbollah and Israel.

While a ceasefire did take effect days after the resolution passed and Israeli forces withdrew from Lebanon, Hezbollah and other armed groups remained.

The agreement has frayed since the 7 October attacks and the Israel-Lebanon border region resembles a warzone.

What is Israel calling for now?

In a letter to the UN Security Council, Israel’s foreign minister said his country has sought a diplomatic solution with Lebanon to ensure the implementation of Resolution 1701, but claimed Hezbollah has “refused” to support it and has linked any ceasefire to an end to the war in Gaza.

He said the UN “must act to bring about a full implementation of UNSCR 1701, and to guarantee that there are no armed personnel, assets, and weapons between the Blue Line and the Litani River”.

What could happen around the Litani River?

Faced with Israeli attacks, Hezbollah may now be forced to withdraw north of the river, Dr Burcu Ozcelik from the Royal United Services Institute defence thinktank argues.

He told Sky News: “Hezbollah may not have a choice if it seeks to survive this fierce new escalation in the war in some form.

“It will emerge diminished, battered and bruised, with its high-ranking commanders killed, and its strike capability eroded significantly.

“Moreover, Hezbollah’s claim that it is the formidable guardian of all Lebanese people against Israeli aggression is in tatters as thousands of frightened civilians flee to Beirut in the north with Hezbollah unable to deter the Israeli aerial bombardment, and the possible ground incursion that may still follow.”