File Photo: Peacekeepers of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ride in armoured vehicles during a patrol along the border with Israel by the village of Kfar Kila in south Lebanon. AFP
In a statement, UNIFIL said two Israeli Merkava tanks moved from an Israeli army position inside Lebanese territory “further into Lebanon” earlier in the day, approaching an area where peacekeepers were operating.
The force said it requested through liaison channels that the tanks halt their movement. Shortly afterward, one of the tanks fired three shells from its main gun, with two landing about 150 metres from UN personnel.
“As the peacekeepers moved away for safety, they were continuously tracked with a laser from the tanks,” the statement said.
No casualties were reported. UNIFIL said it had notified the Israeli army in advance of its activities in the area.
The force said the incident constituted a “serious violation” of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon and underpins the current ceasefire.
“Attacks like these on identifiable peacekeepers ... are becoming disturbingly common,” UNIFIL said, calling for an immediate end to such incidents.
UNIFIL has repeatedly reported Israeli fire near or toward its personnel in recent months. Less than two weeks ago, it said gunfire from an Israeli position struck close to peacekeepers on two separate occasions.
The UN force has operated for decades as a buffer between Israel and Lebanon and has been working alongside the Lebanese army to support a ceasefire that has been in place since November 2024 between Tel Aviv and Beirut.
Under the November 2024 truce, Israel was expected to withdraw from southern Lebanon. However, it continues to occupy five locations and has carried out regular strikes, according to Lebanese officials.
Lebanon has said it fulfilled its obligations under the agreement, which applies to the area south of the Litani River. Hezbollah has withdrawn from that zone, now under full control of the Lebanese army, its commander, General Rudolph Heikel, said last Friday.
Israel has killed over 340 people in Lebanon over the past year, with at least 1,300 wounded. Additionally, more than 64,000 people remain internally displaced, most from Bint Jbeil, Marjeyoun, and Tyre.
UNIFIL’s current mandate expires at the end of this year. The force is scheduled to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon in 2027.
Short link: