ADDS MORE DETAILS, CHANGES DECK
By Rania Abu Shamala
ISTANBUL (AA) – The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Sunday that a patrol came under grenade fire from an Israeli drone and tank fire near Kfar Kila in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli attacks “are in violation of Security Council Resolution 1701 and Lebanon’s sovereignty, and show disregard for safety and security of the peacekeepers implementing Security Council-mandated tasks in southern Lebanon,” UNIFIL said in a statement.
It said no injuries or damage was reported in the attack.
The peacekeeping mission also said that an Israeli drone flew over a UNIFIL patrol in the same area, prompting peacekeepers to take defensive measures to neutralize it.
UNIFIL has operated in southern Lebanon since 1978 and was significantly reinforced under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 after the 2006 war between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
Israel has repeatedly launched airstrikes in Lebanon on claims of targeting Hezbollah infrastructure despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect in November 2024.
Under the terms of the truce, the Israeli army was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon by January 2025. But it has only partially pulled out troops and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.