Israel is violating the terms of the ceasefire agreement it signed with Lebanon in November 2024, UNIFIL deputy spokesperson Kandice Ardial claimed in a BBC video report.
"For the moment, the main violations, frankly, that we are seeing are from the Israeli side, we have Israeli soldiers present in Lebanese territories, they've maintained a number of permanent-looking positions," Ardial said.
French UNIFIL troops said that while Israeli drones are constantly flying over the area, UNIFIL personnel have not seen any Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon.
Israeli drones fly over the area "night and day," French UNIFIL troops told the BBC during an operation in Southern Lebanon, two to three kilometers from the border with Israel.
Hezbollah has abandoned positions, Lebanese army stepping up
"[We have] never encountered" Hezbollah terrorists, and "don't believe there are many Hezbollah fighters in the area," the French troops told the BBC.
Abandoned Hezbollah bases where fighters lived and held weapons were shown in the video.
Prior to the ceasefire, UNIFIL troops would have been unable to enter the area, Captain Florent affirmed to the BBC.
Ardial also praised the efforts of the Lebanese army in the south of the country.
"The Lebanese army is doing a great job. They have redeployed, they are active, they have been consistently working with peacekeepers, working to restore stability. I think the Lebanese army understands that right now, for the people, this is the most important thing," Ardial said.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun declared earlier this month "that 2025 must be the year in which all weapons are brought under state authority," as the country faces pressure from the US to disarm terror groups and unauthorised military infrastructure in Lebanon.
The IDF advanced into south Lebanon this month, army responds
IDF troops entered southern Lebanon 200 meters east of the municipality of Mais al-Jabal and advanced several hundred meters into Lebanese territory, Army Radio reported Monday night, citing Lebanese reports.
The IDF advanced with two bulldozers into their northern neighbor, Walla reported, also citing Lebanese reports. Soldiers were reportedly searching houses in the area using flashlights, while some reports claimed that forces were conducting excavation operations in the area.
Hezbollah-affiliated news source Al-Akhbar reported that the Lebanese military, in response, is conducting patrols in the Mais al-Jabal area.
Liran Aharoni contributed to this report.