S. Lebanon relatively calm after fires exchange with Israel: UNIFIL

UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Sunday that the present security situation in South Lebanon tends to be relatively calm, following the fires exchange between Lebanon and Israel on Friday.

UNIFIL's spokesperson for military affairs Diego Fulco said in a statement issued Sunday that UNIFIL has beefed up its presence and patrolling activities along the UN Designate-Blue Line, the withdrawal line for Israeli troops from Lebanon in May 2000.

Tensions raised again in the border area of the two countries, following at least two Katyusha rockets launched from South Lebanon hitting North Israel on Friday afternoon. Israel responded with artillery shells to the area where the rockets were originated.

Fulco declined to name any potential party that might have been responsible for firing the rockets to Israel, saying that it is too early to talk about it as the investigation is still collecting evidence.

Fulco added that UNIFIL has carried out additional patrols and set up several permanent checkpoints in the South of Litani River -- its area of operations.

He stressed need for sticking to UN Resolution 1701 with the purpose of maintaining peace and security in conjunction with the Lebanese Army. He pleaded also with both sides to do all they could in order to de-escalate the situation.

Resolution 1701 ended the 34-day war between Israel and Lebanese Shiite armed group Hezbollah in summer of 2006, and mandated UNIFIL to deploy in South of Litani River to carry out peacekeeping missions. The Resolution also prohibits any unauthorized arms in UNIFIL's area of operations.

Both UNIFIL and Israel labeled the fires exchange on Friday as a violation of the Resolution 1701.