BEIRUT: The commander of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, Gen. Aroldo Lazaro, warned on Wednesday of the continuing danger of escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah along Lebanon鈥檚 southern border.

He said the UN Interim Force in Lebanon 鈥渃alls for a return to the cessation of hostilities and a move toward a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution to the conflict.鈥� There can be no military solution, he added, a political and diplomatic solution is the only way forward.

鈥淎lmost 50 countries send peacekeepers to southern Lebanon out of a sense of commitment, friendship and a belief that long-term peace is possible for the region,鈥� said Lazaro. 鈥淥ver 46 years, we have developed strong bonds with the communities in which we have lived and worked.

鈥淪ince October, UNIFIL has continued to call on the parties to respect their commitments under Resolution 1701 and has maintained its operational activities aimed at lowering tensions and preventing escalation.鈥�

Resolution 1701 was adopted by the UN Security Council in 2006 with the aim of resolving the war at the time between Israel and Hezbollah.

鈥淭he mission has also provided medical, dental, and veterinary care in villages across south Lebanon; supplied solar-energy systems to villages, civil defense and schools; donated needed equipment to schools, hospitals and first responders; and given infant formula and flour to people in need, among many other projects,鈥� Lazaro continued.

鈥淲e have also liaised with the parties to ensure the safety of workers repairing critical civilian infrastructure damaged in the exchanges of fire or to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance. We will continue to be here for the people and to stand for peace, as long as it takes.

鈥淩egardless of faith or background, we urge all parties to embrace the spirit of unity and compassion that Eid represents and seek the path of peace.鈥�

Lazaro鈥檚 appeal came as Israeli forces carried out air and artillery strikes on Wednesday in the vicinity of several border towns, including Kfarkela, Dhaira, Yarine and Alma Al-Shaab. Residential neighborhoods in the towns of Odaisseh, Kfarkela and Blida came under machine gun fire and intermittent shelling.

In Israel, the Kiryat Shmona settlement was targeted by missiles. Israeli media said sirens sounded in the vicinity of the settlement, the Iron Dome air-defense system was activated, and an interceptor missile exploded over the Lebanese border town of Blida.

On the first day of the Eid Al-Fitr holiday, the movement of civilian residents of towns close to the front lines of the fighting was largely limited to visits to cemeteries.

Hezbollah has reported 274 deaths among its members in the six months since the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel, mostly in border towns and the Baalbek-Hermel region.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Srour, a 57-year-old money changer who had been missing for days, was found shot dead inside a house in Beit Meri, Mount Lebanon. He was reportedly under sanctions by the US Department of the Treasury for 鈥渇acilitating the transfer of funds from Iran to the military wing of Hamas.鈥�

His body was discovered on Tuesday along with an undisclosed sum of money his killers ignored, Lebanon鈥檚 National News Agency reported. Other media sources said 鈥渢he gun used to kill the victim was found soaked with bleach to remove fingerprints and glove traces,鈥� and security cameras 鈥渟howed that he entered the house and never left. The tenant of the house went off the grid once the crime was committed.鈥�

In August 2019, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on several people, including Srour, for funneling 鈥渢ens of millions of dollars鈥� from the foreign operations arm of Iran鈥檚 Revolutionary Guards through Hezbollah in Lebanon 鈥渢o Hamas for terrorist attacks originating from the Gaza Strip.鈥�

Officials in Washington said Srour 鈥渟erved as a middle man鈥� between the Revolutionary Guards鈥� Quds Force and Hamas, 鈥渁nd worked with Hezbollah operatives to ensure funds were provided鈥� to Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigade, the armed wing of Hamas.

鈥淎s of 2014, Srour was identified as in charge of all money transfers,鈥� the Treasury said, adding that he had 鈥渁n extensive history working at Hezbollah鈥檚 sanctioned bank, Bayt Al-Mal.鈥�

Washington blacklisted the bank in 2006. The Treasury鈥檚 Office of Foreign Assets Control described it as 鈥渁n institution owned, controlled or operated by, for or on behalf of Hezbollah.鈥�