Lebanon responds to Israeli boats violating maritime border

News Desk - The Cradle 

The Lebanese navy mobilized its forces to respond to the violation of Lebanese sovereignty as tensions remain high along the land border with the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms

The Lebanese army has mobilized its naval forces in response to Israeli boats that violated Lebanese sovereignty, Al-Mayadeen reported on 8 August.

Al-Mayadeen observed the Israeli boats entering Lebanon’s territorial waters via a camera located in the Naqoura area.

The Lebanese army was escorting a tour of dozens of journalists to the southern borders.

Israeli naval gunships similarly violated Lebanon’s sovereignty by entering 330 meters into its territorial waters off the coast of Naqoura in October 2022, just as Lebanon and Israel had reached an agreement to demarcate the maritime border between the two countries. The Israeli warship stayed in Lebanese waters for 10 minutes before turning back.

An agreement on a maritime border became a priority for both countries last year following the discovery of offshore natural gas fields in the area. 

The most recent violation of Lebanese sovereignty comes amid continued tensions along the land border between Israel and Lebanon, which is still disputed. 

The dispute revolves around the Shebaa Farms, an area of the Syrian Golan Heights occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War and that is situated alongside the Lebanon border.

Israel then invaded and occupied southern Lebanon in 1978, before Hezbollah forced Israel to withdraw in 2000. However, Israel retained control of the Shebaa Farms, which is claimed by Lebanon.

The ceasefire line following the 2000 Israeli withdrawal, known as the “Blue Line,” has served as the de facto border since that time and is patrolled by the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

The town of Ghajar sits atop the Blue Line, and Israel captured the area of the town on the Lebanese side during its war with Hezbollah in 2006. 

Recently, Israel has been building a wall around the town amid speculation it will annex it. 

In response, Hezbollah erected two tents on the Israeli side of the Blue Line on 21 June. The Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper Al-Akhbar warned that “any Israeli action to remove the tents will lead to war.”

Israel then filed a complaint with the UN in June, claiming that Hezbollah had set up tents inside of Israeli territory.

Lebanon Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib told the UN that Israel should withdraw its troops from the Lebanese part of Ghajar, while Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah accused the UN of refusing to take action against Israel for building the fence, which he said had preceded the tents.

Last month, Hezbollah supporters wearing masks and military fatigues on the Lebanese side of the border approached or climbed the security barrier separating the two countries multiple times, in one case destroying an Israeli surveillance camera, and in another, throwing stones and starting a fire. An anti-tank missile was also fired toward Ghajar.

“In recent months it has been intense. There are more and more incidents [on the Blue Line]. Six months ago, one patrol was enough, and now we need four, and we are on higher alert. The possibility of violent engagement is higher,” an Israeli security official said.