UN peacekeepers on the Israeli-Lebanese border are “more important than ever” as tensions mount between Israel and Hezbollah, says the UN’s under secretary-general for peace operations.

With some 10,000 troops based in southern Lebanon, the UN’s Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is “the only liaison channel between the Israeli side and the Lebanese side in all its components, such as Hezbollah”, Jean-Pierre Lacroix told AFP.

“It’s fundamental because it allows us to clarify certain things and avoid misunderstandings … miscalculations, uncontrolled and unwanted escalations,” he said.

UNIFIL is also key in informing all sides “when, for example, there are people who have been wounded or even killed in the area and someone needs to go in to rescue them or remove the bodies”.

The UN troops will stay in place as long as they can carry out their duties, barring “very, very serious” threats, noted Lacroix.