The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has strongly condemned an incident in which an Israeli tank allegedly fired approximately 30 rounds towards one of its positions in southern Lebanon. The incident occurred hours after a hand grenade was reportedly thrown near a UNIFIL patrol in the same area.
According to a statement released by UNIFIL, a Merkava tank, operating south of the Blue Line, fired a series of small-caliber rounds towards a UNIFIL location near Kfar Chouba. The statement indicated that the gunfire struck a guard post and that one round penetrated a residential area within the compound, although no personnel were present at the time.
UNIFIL immediately contacted the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) through established liaison channels, demanding an immediate cessation of fire. The peacekeeping force emphasized the critical need for the IDF to guarantee the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel and to prevent any actions that could endanger them or their positions.
“Any actions that put our peacekeepers at risk are unacceptable and constitute a serious violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and undermine stability in southern Lebanon,” the statement asserted.
In a separate incident, UNIFIL reported that a drone dropped a hand grenade near one of its patrols in the vicinity of Addaisseh. The patrol had received a warning from local residents regarding a potential hazard inside a nearby house, where an improvised explosive device (IED) was subsequently discovered. As UNIFIL forces cordoned off the area and prepared to search another house, a drone allegedly dropped a hand grenade approximately 30 meters from the soldiers’ location. No injuries were reported among UNIFIL personnel.
Following the drone incident, UNIFIL immediately requested a ceasefire from the IDF. The peacekeeping force has placed the responsibility for endangering the lives of both civilians and UNIFIL peacekeepers squarely on the IDF’s activities within Lebanese territory. UNIFIL maintains that all parties must adhere to international law and respect the safety of peacekeepers operating under a UN mandate.
UNIFIL was established in 1978 following the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon. Its mandate was significantly expanded after the July 2006 war and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, with over 10,000 troops deployed to monitor the cessation of hostilities and support the Lebanese Armed Forces in maintaining security in the region.
