UNIFIL: 'Israel' fired on our forces in Lebanon, violating Res.1701
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The Lebanese Army has warned that the assault threatens regional stability and sovereignty.
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French UN peacekeepers patrol the Lebanese southern border in the village of Houla, southern Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)
An Israeli Merkava tank fired on UNIFIL personnel near an Israeli-built position inside Lebanese territory, the UN's peacekeeping force in Lebanon reported on Sunday.
In a statement, UNIFIL said its soldiers, who were on foot patrol, were forced to take cover after heavy machine-gun fire struck approximately five meters from their location, confirming that none of the UN peacekeepers were injured.
The peacekeeping force described the incident as a "serious violation" of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
On Friday, UNIFIL issued a statement condemning the ongoing Israeli construction of a border wall inside Lebanese territory, which crosses the UN-established Blue Line. The force stated that this construction violates Resolution 1701 and constitutes an infringement on Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
UNIFIL called on the Israeli military to fully respect the Blue Line and to withdraw from all areas north of it.
Lebanese Army condemns Israeli attack on UNIFIL personnel
The Lebanese Army has condemned the recent Israeli attack on UNIFIL peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, accusing "Israel" of obstructing the deployment of its own forces in the region and deliberately undermining stability.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Army Command stated it is working with "friendly countries" to put an "end to the violations by the Israeli enemy" following the attack on the international peacekeeping force.
The Army accused "Israel" of persisting in its "violations of Lebanese sovereignty," which it said causes destabilization. It further claimed that these actions are impeding the full deployment of Lebanese troops in the south, citing the "latest condemned assault," which involved the targeting of a UNIFIL patrol.
The statement emphasized the urgent need to "halt the continuous violations and breaches by the enemy," warning that they represent a dangerous escalation that requires immediate action.
Pattern of aggression
UNIFIL has repeatedly documented Israeli aggression and intimidation tactics against its forces in southern Lebanon.
In October, UNIFIL condemned two grenade attacks by the Israeli occupation on its peacekeepers, calling them a serious violation of international agreements and a direct threat to UN personnel operating under a Security Council mandate.
In May 2025, UNIFIL reported that Israeli gunfire struck one of its positions near Kfar Chouba, marking the first direct hit on a UN facility since the November 2024 cessation of hostilities agreement. The same month, peacekeepers recorded incidents of Israeli drones shadowing patrols and laser beams directed from IOF tanks at UN vehicles operating near the border.
A few months earlier, in October 2024, UN and media reports confirmed that Israeli artillery fire hit a UNIFIL base in Naqoura, wounding at least two peacekeepers and damaging observation posts. France, Italy, and Spain, three major troop contributors to the mission, issued a joint statement condemning the strikes as a "serious violation" of international law and UNSC Resolution 1701.
UNIFIL records also show earlier patterns of aggression, including a 2017 series of incidents in which Israeli occupation forces blocked UN patrol routes and engaged in physical threats and harassment of peacekeepers attempting to monitor Israeli aggression along the Blue Line.
