UNIFIL accuses Israel of dropping grenades near peacekeepers in southern Lebanon

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) accused Israel on Wednesday of endangering its peacekeepers after an Israeli drone dropped four grenades near UN personnel clearing roadblocks close to the Blue Line.

In a statement, UNIFIL said the incident occurred Tuesday morning, with one grenade landing within 20 meters of its forces and vehicles, and three others within 100 meters. The mission described the incident as one of the most serious attacks on UN peacekeepers and assets since the cessation of hostilities agreement of November 2023.

For his part, UNIFIL spokesperson Danny Al-Ghafri stressed that despite repeated challenges and attacks over the past 15 years, peacekeepers remain committed to their mission and will continue operating until their mandate expires in 2026.

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Speaking to Al-Qahera News Channel, Al-Ghafri dismissed Israeli claims that UNIFIL has failed to prevent Hezbollah’s presence in southern Lebanon. He argued that such accusations serve only as a pretext for Israeli violations against UN forces.

He reaffirmed that UNIFIL’s mandate is clear: to support the parties in implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war.

Al-Ghafri praised the role of the Lebanese army in maintaining calm in southern Lebanon despite severe economic and security challenges. He emphasized UNIFIL’s support for the army’s deployment south of the Litani River in line with Resolution 1701.

He also highlighted that the most recent UN Security Council Resolution 2790, which renewed UNIFIL’s mandate, explicitly calls on Israel to withdraw from five Lebanese sites it continues to occupy in violation of international law.

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