The Jewish state says the incident in southern Lebanon was due to poor weather conditions, with no casualties reported
UN peacekeepers stationed in southern Lebanon have accused Israel of firing on one of their patrols, criticizing the country for its “aggressive behavior.” Israel has acknowledged that the incident occurred, but said it was not intentional and was due to poor weather conditions.
In a statement on Sunday, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) fired on personnel from a Merkava tank.
It called the incident “a serious violation” of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon that ended the 2006 war, stressing that it was not the first attack of this kind. “Yet again, we call on the IDF to cease any aggressive behavior and attacks on or near peacekeepers, who are working to support the return to the stability that both Israel and Lebanon say they seek.”
Israel confirmed that its forces fired on UN troops, but claimed it was by mistake. The IDF said its soldiers had identified “two suspects” in the El Hamames area and fired warning shots, after which the individuals withdrew, with no injuries reported.
After reviewing the incident, the IDF said the suspects “were UN soldiers who were conducting a patrol in the area and were classified as suspects due to poor weather conditions,” adding that “no deliberate fire was directed toward UNIFIL soldiers.”
Lebanon accused Israel of “violating Lebanese sovereignty, causing instability and obstructing the full deployment of the army in the south.”
The Israel-Lebanon border has long been a volatile area, with the Jewish state and Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah often exchanging strikes.
Tensions soared after the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted in 2023, with Hezbollah – an ally of Hamas – launching rockets and missiles into the neighboring state, and Israel responding in kind. In late 2024, Israeli forces crossed into southern Lebanon.
As part of a ceasefire deal later that year, Israel agreed to a full withdrawal, but has only done so partially – keeping several outposts in Lebanon and arguing that Hezbollah remains active in the area and poses a threat.
