The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1701 in August 2006 as part of a cease-fire that ended Israel’s last war with Lebanon. The resolution sought to create a buffer zone in southern Lebanon to prevent fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, but has failed to keep the peace.

Lebanon's Hezbollah movement fired heavy rocket barrages at Israel on Sunday, and the Israeli military said houses had been destroyed or set alight near Tel Aviv, after a powerful Israeli airstrike killed at least 29 people in Beirut the day before.

Lebanon’s capital city is returning to a cycle of violence and destruction just as it was beginning to stabilize after years of chaos.