According to the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), approximately 670 projectile movements were recorded on Wednesday, the highest number since the cessation of hostilities came into effect on April 17.
The mission also reported increased ground and air activity by the Israeli military, including armored vehicle movements and attacks north of the Litani River.
“We again urge everyone to respect the cessation of hostilities and stop any new attacks. We reiterate that civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be attacked. We condemn the loss of civilian lives,” said UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.
Displaced families
The renewed violence has triggered new waves of displacement.
Evacuation orders issued over the past 48 hours have affected hundreds of thousands of people south of the Zahrani River. Collective shelters in Tire and Saida are reportedly full.
The UN aid coordination office (OCHA) warned that families are once again forced to flee their homes in “intolerable” conditions.
‘Door remains open’ for Israel, says UN, following decision to sever ties with Secretary-General
The UN spokesman said Thursday that the door will always remain open for Israel following its decision to “cut all ties” with the Secretary-General’s office.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a tweet that it was taking the move in response to a reported decision to include the country on the list of state and non-state actors responsible for patterns of sexual violence in conflict in the UN chief’s upcoming annual report to the Security Council on the issue.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, tweeted that adding Israel to a list that included Hamas militants marked a “new low.”
The report has not yet been made public, but the Foreign Office described Israel’s inclusion in the annex as “shameful and absurd”, claiming it was “yet another example of the UN’s long-standing and institutionalized hostility towards Israel”.
The compromise “is always a better solution”
UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said he could not comment on the content of the report on conflict-related sexual violence.
“I can tell you, from the Secretary-General’s point of view, that his door remains open to Israeli representatives, as well as to the other 192 Member States and the two observer States.”
He added that it was important for Member States to participate “and continue to participate. Not just with us but with all the various mechanisms… to work together. I think participation is always a better solution than withdrawal.”
Internal displacement continues to increase in Haiti
Internal displacement in Haiti continues to worsen, with nearly 1.5 million people uprooted across the country as of May.
Since December 2025, violence has displaced nearly 95,000 more people, including more than 300,000 in the Port-au-Prince area following armed clashes in Cité Soleil.
Fighting in the Artibonite department is also causing new displacement, with almost 80 percent of those forced to leave their homes now living outside the capital.
The United Nations migration agency, IOM, reports that more than 165,000 people have returned to their communities, but many say conditions remain too unstable for sustainable reintegration.
Scarce resources
Most displaced families live in host communities or in precarious conditions, increasing pressure on already limited resources. Food, housing, health care, water and sanitation remain among the most urgent needs.
Humanitarian partners continue to provide assistance despite insecurity, access limitations and funding shortages.
The $880 million Haiti Humanitarian Response Plan is only 23 percent funded, and just under $199 million has been received.
Independent UN experts warn France about prison overcrowding
Independent torture prevention experts have urged France to take urgent action to address severe prison overcrowding, warning that conditions in some facilities may amount to inhuman or degrading treatment under international law.
The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture concluded its first visit to France after inspecting 18 places of detention from May 17 to 23.
“Prison overcrowding is one of the most pressing challenges observed during this visit,” said Suzanne Jabbour, head of the delegation, adding that it “directly undermines the fundamental rights of prisoners.”
Calls for reform
The experts called on French authorities to adopt structural and sustainable reforms and to create a formal mechanism to follow up on the recommendations of France’s national prison watchdog.
Jabbour warned that “recommendations only matter if they lead to action,” adding that without clear state commitment, preventing torture will remain out of reach.
The Subcommittee will send a confidential report to France with its conclusions and recommendations, while encouraging the Government to authorize its publication.
Independent human rights experts are not UN staff and do not receive salaries for their work.