503 Casimiro José Sanjuan Martínez Southern Libano: a key area for security and stability Hezbollah therefore continued as master of southern Lebanon and substantially increased its interference in Lebanese political life.20 The Beirut government was under the International pressure, and at the behest of Israel and the United States, disarmed the militia to prevent its growing importance but, as expected, the Lebanese authorities failed to stop this situation and the continues attacks on Israel were a prelude to worsening of the situation. On July 2006, a raid by Hezbollah on Israeli territory resulted in eight Israeli soldiers killed and two were captured.21 Israel called the action an act of war22 and accused the Lebanese government of being behind this serious event. 23 A few days later there was a new Israeli invasion which led to the last conflict that has taken place between Lebanon and Israel to date. The pressure of the UN and the CI forced Israel into retreating its territory with the agreement to increase UNIFIL entity with members of EU countries and with the proviso that the Lebanese army occupied the south of Lebanon to the detriment of Hezbollah.24 On August that year, EU and NATO sent troops to the UNIFIL area giving another dimension not only due to the number of troops (around thirteen thousand troops of all fifteen thousand authorized) but by the multinational presence. Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Belgium and Luxembourg sent new contingents or increased the existing ones. In addition to that territorial waters were controlled by a multinational maritime force. Lebanon ‘s government, meanwhile, sent about eight thousand soldiers in his army (he was allowed fifteen thousand) to work together with UNIFIL. Since then, the situation in southern Lebanon began to improve although violence has not disappeared altogether. During the last eight years the random moments of tension have been mitigated due to the presence of both the international force and the Lebanese soldiers. 20 Qassem N. (2005). “Hizbullah: The Story from Within” Saqi. London. P. 20-83. Accessed June 19, 2014. 21 Yaakov Katz. (2012). Israel vs. Iran: The Shadow War. P. 17 Retrieved on June 19, 2014. 22 Molteni A. “The war in Lebanon and its consequences in the Middle East.” International Agency No.10. P. 50. Retrieved on June 20, 2014. 23 Michael Walter (2001). Just and Unjust Wars. A moral argument with historical arguments. Paidós State and Society. P. 448 Accessed June 20, 2014. 24 Juan M. Muñoz. (September, 2006). ‘Israel reverses and rises today the air and sea blockade over Lebanon eight-week’ El Pais. File. Accessed June 20, 2014. http://revista.ieee.es/index.php/ieee
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