UNIFIL Welcomes Deployment of Additional Troops on Lebanon’s Southern Border

Lebanese army soldiers patrol on their tank, August 23, 2012. REUTERS/Omar Ibrahim
Lebanese army soldiers patrol on their tank, August 23, 2012. REUTERS/Omar Ibrahim
TT
20

UNIFIL Welcomes Deployment of Additional Troops on Lebanon’s Southern Border

Lebanese army soldiers patrol on their tank, August 23, 2012. REUTERS/Omar Ibrahim
Lebanese army soldiers patrol on their tank, August 23, 2012. REUTERS/Omar Ibrahim

The Lebanese army has bolstered its forces south of the Litani River as its commander Gen. Joseph Aoun discussed with the head of the peacekeeping force enhanced coordinated activities.

A statement from the military leadership said there was a reinforcement of the army’s presence along the southern border to "confront the Israeli enemy and to maintain the area’s security and stability.”

Friday’s events coincided with a meeting between Aoun and United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Commander Maj. Gen. Michael Beary in south Lebanon’s Naqoura.

During his visit to the UNIFIL headquarters, Aoun discussed with the UN mission’s leadership enhanced coordinated activities between the Lebanese army and UNIFIL in the area between the Litani River and the Blue Line in south Lebanon, a statement said.

Beary welcomed the visit and the deployment of additional forces in the area of operations. He emphasized the importance of strong collaboration between UNIFIL and the Lebanese army to respond to incidents and violations effectively and in a timely manner, the statement issued by the mission said.

He also congratulated Aoun for his leadership and the Lebanese army’s achievements in the recent military campaign in the northeastern parts of the country. He offered his deepest condolences on the losses suffered.

The Lebanese army and UNIFIL are strategic partners in implementing the mandated tasks under UN Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) and 2373 of 30 August 2017, which extended the mandate for another year.
 
UNIFIL and the army are working closely to further enhance coordinated efforts that have helped keep an unprecedented 11-years of stability in the area of operations.



Houthis Believed to Be Holding Six Crew from Greek Ship Sunk in Red Sea

A screen grab taken from a handout video released by the Houthis military media center on 08 July 2025 shows Houthi fighters aboard the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, the Magic Seas, in the Red Sea off the port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, 06 July 2025. EPA/HOUTHIS MILITARY MEDIA CENTER / HANDOUT
A screen grab taken from a handout video released by the Houthis military media center on 08 July 2025 shows Houthi fighters aboard the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, the Magic Seas, in the Red Sea off the port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, 06 July 2025. EPA/HOUTHIS MILITARY MEDIA CENTER / HANDOUT
TT
20

Houthis Believed to Be Holding Six Crew from Greek Ship Sunk in Red Sea

A screen grab taken from a handout video released by the Houthis military media center on 08 July 2025 shows Houthi fighters aboard the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, the Magic Seas, in the Red Sea off the port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, 06 July 2025. EPA/HOUTHIS MILITARY MEDIA CENTER / HANDOUT
A screen grab taken from a handout video released by the Houthis military media center on 08 July 2025 shows Houthi fighters aboard the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, the Magic Seas, in the Red Sea off the port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, 06 July 2025. EPA/HOUTHIS MILITARY MEDIA CENTER / HANDOUT

Yemen’s Houthi forces are believed to be holding six of the 22 crew of a Greek ship that the militia attacked and sank in the Red Sea earlier this week, maritime security sources said on Thursday.

The Houthis had said on Wednesday they had rescued a number of the ship's crew, without providing further details, Reuters reported.

Maritime security sources said that rescuers pulled three more crew members and a security guard alive from the Red Sea on Thursday, a day after the Houthi militants sank the Greek ship Eternity C and said they were holding some of the crew still missing.

This brings the total number of those rescued so far to 10, including eight Filipino crew members, one Indian and one Greek security guard. The people found on Thursday had spent more than 48 hours in the water. Another 11 people are still missing.

"This fills us with more courage to continue to search for those missing, as the Greek vessel operator requested, and shows that our search plan was correct," said Nikos Georgopoulos, an official at the Greece-based maritime risk firm Diaplous.

Eternity C is the second Greek bulk carrier sunk this week by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia in Yemen. The attacks, which Houthis say are an act of solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza war, have ended months of calm in the area.

The United States' Mission in Yemen has accused the Houthis of kidnapping crew members and has called for their immediate release.

On Wednesday, the Houthis' military spokesperson said in a televised address that the Yemeni navy had "responded to rescue a number of the ship's crew, provide them with medical care, and transport them to a safe location".

The Eternity C sank on Wednesday days after Houthis hit and sunk the Magic Seas, reviving a campaign launched in November 2023 that has seen more than 100 ships attacked.

Both of the vessels hit this week flew Liberian flags and were operated by Greek companies. All crew from the Magic Seas were rescued before it went down.

Eternity C was first hit on Monday with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from speed boats. Four people are presumed dead, with maritime security sources saying they were killed in the attacks. If confirmed, the deaths would be the first fatalities in the area since June 2024.

Following a second attack on Tuesday morning, the crew were forced to jump into the water. Rescuers have been searching for them since Wednesday morning.

The vessel's operator, Cosmoship Management, has not responded to Reuters' requests for comment.