The United Nations said Wednesday that Israeli drones dropped four grenades near UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, with Israel insisting there was “no intentional fire” at the force.
UNIFIL, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, called Tuesday’s incident “one of the most serious attacks” since a November ceasefire ended last year’s war between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
The mission said Israeli forces had “dropped four grenades close to UNIFIL peacekeepers working to clear roadblocks hindering access to a UN position.”
“One grenade impacted within 20 meters (65 feet) and three within approximately 100 meters (328 feet) of UN personnel and vehicles,” it added, reporting no casualties.
The Israeli military said troops “deployed several (stun) grenades” in response to “suspicious activity,” adding that “no intentional fire was directed at UNIFIL personnel.”
The UN force said Israel had been informed in advance of its plans to carry out road clearance work in that area, southeast of the border village of Marwahin.
It said endangering the lives of peacekeepers was “unacceptable and a serious violation” of a 2006 UN Security Council resolution that formed the basis of last year’s ceasefire.
Under the November agreement, UNIFIL has been assisting the Lebanese army to dismantle Hezbollah military infrastructure in the south.
France condemned Tuesday’s incident, calling for “the protection of the peacekeepers.”
Qatar called for “an urgent investigation into this attack and for those responsible to be brought to justice”.
The UN Security Council voted last week for peacekeepers to leave Lebanon in 2027, allowing only one final extension of its mandate after pressure from Israel and its US ally to wind up the nearly 50-year-old force.
Last year’s ceasefire stipulates that only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers can deploy in south Lebanon, excluding both the Israeli army and Hezbollah from the region.
However, Israel has maintained troops in five locations it deems strategic and still regularly strikes Hezbollah targets in a campaign it says will continue until the militant group has been disarmed.
Lebanon’s government is expected to convene on Friday to discuss the army’s plan to disarm Hezbollah, a mission the cabinet assigned it in early August.
On Wednesday, Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon killed four people.
The Israeli military said one of its attacks killed Hezbollah member Al-Munim Musa Sweidan.
