UNIFIL alleges Israeli grenade attack
UNIFIL said an Israeli tank fired on UN peacekeepers on the Israeli-Lebanese border on Sunday.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) accused Israel of violating Security Council Resolution 1701 and Lebanon’s sovereignty in a series of posts on X/Twitter on Sunday.
The first article in the series stated that an “Israeli drone approached a UNIFIL patrol operating near Kfar Fila and dropped a grenade.”
“Moments later, an Israeli tank fired a shot at the peacekeepers. Fortunately, no injuries or damage was caused to the peacekeepers and UNIFIL assets,” the statement continued.
UNIFIL also claimed that these actions “demonstrate a disregard for the safety and security of peacekeepers carrying out Security Council-mandated tasks in southern Lebanon,” which it said constitutes a violation of Security Council Resolution 1701 and Lebanon’s sovereignty.
UNIFIL, which has operated on Lebanon’s southern border since 1978, is expected to begin a one-year withdrawal at the end of 2026.
Polish peacekeepers gather during Reuters’ visit to Camp Shamrock, where Irish and Polish peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) are stationed near the village of Maroun al-Ras, near the Lebanese-Israeli border, in southern Lebanon, November 29, 2023. (credit: AZIZ TAHER/REUTERS)
The United States announced it would also stop supporting the organization by then, citing a “radically different” security environment than just a year ago and placing more responsibility on the Lebanese government for security.
A second incident?
The UN organization also cited previous incidents of Israeli drones flying over a UNIFIL patrol in an “aggressive” manner, saying “peacekeepers applied the necessary defensive countermeasures to neutralize the drone.”
In early September, the IDF mistakenly sent drones to drop grenades near UNIFIL posts after believing they were Hezbollah forces.
UNIFIL also condemned the attacks at the time, stating that “this is one of the most serious attacks against UNIFIL personnel and assets since the cessation of hostilities agreement last November.”
The Israeli military sent a clarification to UNIFIL, saying it would never intentionally target UNIFIL forces.
The Israeli military has not yet commented on Sunday’s alleged recent attacks.
