Israeli Forces Open Fire on UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon, No Injuries Reported
Incident described as a serious violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
JERUSALEM: Israeli military forces opened fire on United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon on Sunday, marking an incident the UN peacekeeping mission deemed a serious violation.
According to the military's account, Israeli soldiers mistakenly identified two individuals as suspects in the El Hamames area near the border with Israel and subsequently fired upon them.
It was later determined that these individuals were, in fact, UN peacekeepers.
The military cited poor weather conditions as the reason for this misidentification and stated that the incident is under review.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that Israeli forces utilized a Merkava tank positioned within Lebanese territory to fire at the peacekeepers, who were on foot.
UNIFIL further stated that heavy machine gun fire struck approximately five meters from the peacekeepers, compelling them to seek shelter due to the proximity of the hostile gunfire.
Following this engagement, UNIFIL contacted the Israeli military through official channels, leading to the withdrawal of the tank.
UNIFIL condemned this action as a 'serious violation' of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which regulates that no armed forces should be present in southern Lebanon other than the UN peacekeepers and the Lebanese military.
The Lebanese military issued a statement expressing concern over Israeli violations of its sovereignty, arguing that such actions contribute to instability within the country and hinder their efforts to deploy effectively in the south.
It is noteworthy that Israel maintains a presence in five posts within Lebanon and frequently conducts airstrikes in the region, claiming these operations target Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
A ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Hezbollah last year, stipulating that Hezbollah would not possess weapons in the south and that Israeli forces would fully withdraw from Lebanese territory.
However, Israel accuses Hezbollah of attempting to rearm while Lebanon's government contends that Israel has violated this agreement by not withdrawing entirely and continuing to conduct airstrikes.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of ongoing tensions between these parties and highlights the complexities involved in maintaining peace and stability in the region.
According to the military's account, Israeli soldiers mistakenly identified two individuals as suspects in the El Hamames area near the border with Israel and subsequently fired upon them.
It was later determined that these individuals were, in fact, UN peacekeepers.
The military cited poor weather conditions as the reason for this misidentification and stated that the incident is under review.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that Israeli forces utilized a Merkava tank positioned within Lebanese territory to fire at the peacekeepers, who were on foot.
UNIFIL further stated that heavy machine gun fire struck approximately five meters from the peacekeepers, compelling them to seek shelter due to the proximity of the hostile gunfire.
Following this engagement, UNIFIL contacted the Israeli military through official channels, leading to the withdrawal of the tank.
UNIFIL condemned this action as a 'serious violation' of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which regulates that no armed forces should be present in southern Lebanon other than the UN peacekeepers and the Lebanese military.
The Lebanese military issued a statement expressing concern over Israeli violations of its sovereignty, arguing that such actions contribute to instability within the country and hinder their efforts to deploy effectively in the south.
It is noteworthy that Israel maintains a presence in five posts within Lebanon and frequently conducts airstrikes in the region, claiming these operations target Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
A ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Hezbollah last year, stipulating that Hezbollah would not possess weapons in the south and that Israeli forces would fully withdraw from Lebanese territory.
However, Israel accuses Hezbollah of attempting to rearm while Lebanon's government contends that Israel has violated this agreement by not withdrawing entirely and continuing to conduct airstrikes.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of ongoing tensions between these parties and highlights the complexities involved in maintaining peace and stability in the region.
