The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon has reported that a member was injured due to an Israeli grenade explosion near a UN position in southern Lebanon, marking the third such incident in over a month. This incident occurred on Saturday near Kfar Kila, with the UN describing the injuries as light and the affected peacekeeper receiving medical assistance shortly thereafter.
The Israeli military confirmed the event and stated that it has conducted a review of the incident, reinforcing safety protocols to prevent future occurrences. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been actively collaborating with the Lebanese army since a ceasefire was established in November, which aimed to end a year of escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah, a militant group that had led to two months of open conflict.
According to UNIFIL, the grenade was dropped by an Israeli drone shortly before noon, highlighting a pattern of similar incidents, including earlier occurrences this month when drones dropped multiple grenades near peacekeepers involved in clearing the aftermath of prior hostilities. An incident in September also saw drones dropping grenades in proximity to UN forces, with Israel at that time asserting that no deliberate fire was aimed at the peacekeepers.
UNIFIL expressed serious concern regarding Saturday’s grenade attack, citing it as a breach of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which aimed to address the consequences of a 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The peacekeeping force has called on the Israeli military to halt any actions toward or near UN positions, emphasizing their role in restoring stability agreed upon by both Israel and Lebanon.
The Israeli military characterized the grenade deployment as a deterrent measure against individuals attempting to rebuild military structures associated with Hezbollah. In response to the injured peacekeeper, the Israeli military undertook a review and announced that safety procedures regarding strikes near UNIFIL positions had been intensified.
UNIFIL, established in 1978, currently deploys around 10,000 personnel from nearly 50 countries to maintain a buffer between Israel and Lebanon. In August, the UN Security Council approved the continuation of UNIFIL’s mandate until 2027.
Under the US-mediated ceasefire, both Israel and Hezbollah committed to withdrawing from southern Lebanon. However, Israel has continued to conduct regular strikes against what it identifies as Hezbollah targets and has maintained its military presence in key strategic areas.
In related developments, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned a recent Israeli strike that reportedly resulted in one death and significant destruction of machinery in the Al-Msayleh area. The Israeli military had justified the strikes by asserting that they targeted sites associated with the re-establishment of terrorist infrastructure.
In light of these events, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has called for his foreign minister to urgently lodge a complaint with the UN Security Council, citing the recent Israeli attacks on civilian and commercial facilities as violations of both Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement established last year.
