Hezbollah fighters marching in Beirut. Photo: Twitter.

The Jewish state’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, hailed “an important victory for Israel” at the Security Council on Thursday.

Following the annual renewal of its mandate, the UN’s peacekeeping force in Lebanon — UNIFIL — is now responsible for preventing terrorist activity by Hezbollah and other Islamist groups on the Lebanese side of the border with Israel. UNIFIL will be required to expand its reports to the Security Council and take deliberate action against Hezbollah’s violations. UNIFIL’s presence on the ground will increase significantly, and troops will be required to tour the Hezbollah-controlled areas of southern Lebanon. UNIFIL must also report all instances of Hezbollah’s violations and attempts to deny access immediately.

Danon commented, “This is a significant diplomatic achievement that could change the situation in southern Lebanon and expose the terror infrastructure that Hezbollah set up on the border with Israel. The resolution requires UNIFIL to open its eyes, and forces it to act against Hezbollah’s terror buildup in the area. We will continue the fight against Hezbollah and ensure that UNIFIL fulfills its duties on the ground.”

The new resolution comes amid growing determination in Israel to counter Iran’s attempts to create a Shia controlled land corridor between itself and the Mediterranean coast.