UN peacekeepers in Lebanon targeted by Israeli fire, no injuries reported
UNIFIL reports Israeli drone and tank fire targeting its patrol near Kafr Kila with no injuries, tensions persist as Israeli strikes kill three in Lebanon despite ceasefire agreement.
Beirut, Oct 27: The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that one of its patrols came under Israeli fire near the village of Kafr Kila on Sunday, though no personnel were injured and no damage was sustained.
“At around 5:45 p.m. (1545 GMT) Sunday, an Israeli drone approached a UNIFIL patrol near Kafr Kila and dropped a bomb,” the peacekeeping force said in a statement. “Moments later, an Israeli tank fired toward the peacekeeping forces. Fortunately, no injuries or damage occurred to UNIFIL personnel or equipment.”
According to UNIFIL, the incident followed an earlier encounter in the same area, when an Israeli drone flew aggressively over a peacekeeping patrol, prompting defensive measures. The mission condemned the attack as a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and Lebanon’s sovereignty, warning that such actions endanger peacekeepers fulfilling their mandate in southern Lebanon.
There has been no immediate response from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) regarding the incident.
UNIFIL positions have been targeted multiple times since cross-border clashes between Israel and Hezbollah resumed following the Gaza war in October 2023. Despite a ceasefire agreement, Israel has continued periodic strikes inside Lebanon, citing Hezbollah threats and maintaining military posts beyond the February 18 withdrawal deadline.
On Sunday, Israeli strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon reportedly killed three people, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. The victims included two individuals in Baalbek and one in Naqoura, with one identified as a Syrian national.
The Israeli army claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying it had targeted Hezbollah operatives, including Ali Hussein al-Mousawi, who allegedly facilitated the transfer of weapons from Syria to Lebanon, and Abed Mahmoud al-Sayed, a Hezbollah representative in Ras Biyyada. Hezbollah has not confirmed the reported deaths.
Last week, a group of UN experts expressed alarm over Israel’s continued strikes in Lebanon, citing a rising civilian death toll and damage to critical infrastructure, housing, and agricultural areas.
Under the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, Israel was obligated to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon by January 2025. However, troops reportedly remain stationed at five border outposts, which Israel deems strategic.
UNIFIL has called for immediate restraint from all parties, stressing the need to uphold the ceasefire and prevent further escalation along the Lebanon-Israel border.
