UN, France condemns Israel's attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and France have strongly condemned an Israeli strike that hit UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, calling it a serious violation of international law and the ceasefire in the area, according to Al Jazeera.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Monday that the attack happened a day earlier near the border town of Kfar Kila. He said an Israeli drone dropped a grenade close to a UN patrol, followed by tank fire aimed at the peacekeepers. “This incident is very, very dangerous,” Dujarric warned.
The UN said its peacekeepers have faced repeated threats and attacks from Israeli forces, including laser pointing, warning shots, and what they describe as deliberate targeting. “Our colleagues at UNIFIL are in contact with the Israeli military to protest strongly against these attacks,” Dujarric added.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) works with the Lebanese army to uphold a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group. However, Israeli forces have been accused of breaking the truce almost daily.
France’s Foreign Ministry also denounced “the Israeli fire that targeted a UNIFIL detachment,” noting that similar incidents occurred earlier this month on October 1, 2, and 11.
Israel continues to occupy five positions inside southern Lebanon and has carried out frequent airstrikes despite the ceasefire. On Monday, two brothers were killed in an Israeli attack on the village of al-Bayyad in Tyre district.
The Israeli army claimed its recent strikes were aimed at a Hezbollah arms dealer and another person allegedly helping the group rebuild its military strength. But Lebanese officials accused Israel of targeting civilian areas and destroying reconstruction equipment.
Hezbollah, which has suffered significant losses from ongoing Israeli attacks, said it remains ready to defend itself. “The possibility of war exists but is uncertain; it depends on their calculations,” Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said.
Meanwhile, US Middle East envoy Morgan Ortagus arrived in Beirut for talks with Lebanese leaders, as Washington continues to urge Hezbollah to disarm and join the national army.
Why is Israel attacking UN peacekeepers?
Analysts say Israel’s repeated strikes on UN peacekeeping forces appear to be an attempt to pressure UNIFIL and limit its monitoring role along the border. The UN force helps report ceasefire violations and provides evidence of Israeli military actions in Lebanese territory. By targeting or intimidating peacekeepers, Israel may be trying to weaken international oversight and operate more freely against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
Such actions, the UN and France warned, amount to violations of international norms protecting peacekeeping missions and could further destabilize the fragile truce between the two sides.