UN Council Demands Israel Quit Southern Lebanon as Trump Says He Averted 1 Beirut Strike
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 2
UN Council Demands Israel Quit Southern Lebanon as Trump Says He Averted 1 Beirut Strike
5 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 2
Monday’s emergency UN Security Council meeting produced near-unanimous calls—except from the United States—for Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon and drop threatened attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Tens of thousands of Lebanese fled as shelters filled after Israel warned of an imminent strike on Beirut and, a day earlier, pushed deeper into southern Lebanon, raising fears of a renewed occupation.
Trump said he had persuaded Israel to back off striking Lebanon if Hezbollah refrained from attacking Israel, inserting Washington directly into the fast-moving crisis.
Sunday’s Israeli advance included the capture of Beaufort Castle, a former Israeli army headquarters during the 1982-2000 occupation, a move that inflamed anger in Lebanon.
The escalation also threatened wider diplomacy: Lebanon’s government is negotiating with Israel to end hostilities, while Iran signaled US-Iran peace talks could be suspended if Beirut were attacked.
As US-Iran peace talks collapse, is Lebanon becoming the battleground for a much larger regional war?
With the UN withdrawing and its army sidelined, can Lebanon survive being dismantled by Israel and Hezbollah?
Can a Trump-led 'Board of Peace' succeed in disarming Hezbollah where the UN and Lebanese army have failed?
Lebanon on the Brink: Israeli Advance, 1.2 Million Displaced, and the Battle for Regional Stability
Overview
On June 1, 2026, the conflict in Lebanon reached a critical point as Israel advanced deep into southern Lebanon, recapturing Beaufort Castle and raising its flag over strategic peaks. This military escalation triggered a rapid deterioration in the humanitarian situation, affecting millions of civilians and prompting the UN Security Council to hold an emergency session. Israel’s actions, seen as both a symbolic and strategic move, intensified international concern and led to urgent diplomatic efforts to address the crisis. The situation highlights the direct link between military operations, worsening humanitarian conditions, and the swift response of the international community.