Border pressure mounts as Lebanon rejects Israel’s push to search homes—the details

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

In an unprecedented move, Israel has pressed the Lebanese army to search homes in southern Lebanon on the grounds that they may contain weapons—an action the army has rejected.

According to military sources, the Lebanese army insists that any measures related to arms control must follow the agreed-upon mechanism established under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701. 

Under this mechanism, Israel is expected to notify the ceasefire committee of any information about weapons or unusual activity, allowing the Lebanese army to address the issue.

However, security sources told LBCI that this process is not always followed. In many cases, Israel carries out airstrikes on what it claims are Hezbollah military sites without prior notification to the mechanism. 

When Israel does provide notice, the committee immediately informs the Lebanese army, which then takes action depending on the situation.

Several scenarios have occurred as a result:

* In June, the army moved toward Beirut’s southern suburbs after receiving information through the mechanism about an alleged Hezbollah drone manufacturing site. But before the army reached the buildings, Israel launched preemptive strikes and later carried out air raids.
* In another case, the army, in coordination with the mechanism, inspected buildings that Israel claimed contained weapons. No weapons were found, and the findings were reported back to the committee. No Israeli strikes followed.

As for home searches, security sources said the army has never received information through the mechanism about weapons being stored in residential homes in the south. They stressed that the army will not violate private homes or act outside legal frameworks, adding that it is up to the army’s command to assess each situation and determine any necessary actions under U.N. Resolution 1701.

The army, sources said, will avoid any steps that could lead to clashes with residents and will act based on the situation on the ground. Hezbollah, for its part, views Israel’s demand to raid homes as an attempt to provoke internal strife and maintains that Israel is seeking pretexts to prevent displaced residents from returning to their villages.