BEIRUT: Israeli flags planted on a main coastal highway in southern Lebanon are a violation of a UN Security Council resolution, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon said on Monday, urging all sides to avoid “provocative actions”.

Israel’s military invaded a swathe of southern Lebanon during a war with Hezbollah earlier this year, establishing a self-declared security zone it says aims to shield northern Israel from attacks by the Iran-backed group.

A video posted on Sunday by Israel’s Channel 12 news journalist Amit Segal showed Israeli flags flying along the Naqoura-Tyre coastal road, a primary artery for southern Lebanon and a route used by the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil).

Peacekeepers have observed several Israeli flags in Lebanese territory, including recently on the coastal road and in Naqoura village, Unifil spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said.

Ardiel said the Israeli flags were a violation of UN Security Council resolution 1701, which ended a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. “As always, we call on the IDF and all actors to cease violations of the resolution and avoid any provocative action that could increase tensions or trigger further violations,” Ardiel added.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2026