BEIRUT, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants on Monday instructed the country's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York to file a complaint with the UN Security Council (UNSC) in response to the repeated Israeli targeting of the Lebanese army.
Lebanon, in its complaint, called on UNSC member states to "condemn the repeated Israeli attacks on the army and to consider them a flagrant violation of international law, the UN Charter, and international resolutions," according to a statement released by the ministry on social media platform X.
Lebanon stressed that "targeting the army undermines international efforts to implement resolution 1701" and "ensuring the army's security and supporting it to carry out all its tasks is an urgent necessity to enhance security on the Lebanese borders," the statement said.
At least two Lebanese soldiers were killed and three others wounded on Sunday in Israeli artillery shelling targeting a Lebanese army post in the town of al-Mari in the Hasbaya District in southern Lebanon.
The latest Israeli attack has brought the death toll among Lebanese army ranks to 36 since the beginning of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict on Oct. 8, 2023.
Also on Monday, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the decision by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to grant 34 Lebanese cultural properties enhanced protection amid the ongoing conflict.
In a statement released by the Lebanese Council of Ministers, Mikati said the decision "constitutes a strong deterrence against" Israel, "which continues its destructive aggression against Lebanon."
Earlier on Monday, UNESCO said in a statement that an extraordinary session of one of its committees held during the day resulted in the provisional inclusion of 34 Lebanese cultural properties on the International List of Cultural Property under Enhanced Protection.
"Non-compliance with these clauses would constitute 'serious violations' of the 1954 Hague Convention and would constitute potential grounds for prosecution," the statement said.
Since Sept. 23, the Israeli army has intensified its air attack on Lebanon in an escalation of conflict with Hezbollah. Israel further initiated a ground operation across its northern border into Lebanon in early October. ■
