Israeli drones drop grenades near UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

Israeli drones dropped four grenades close to UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel as they were working to clear roadblocks, the force said on Wednesday.

No-one was hurt in the attack.

The peacekeeping force known as Unifil described the Tuesday incident as “one of the most serious attacks on Unifil personnel and assets” since the cessation of hostilities in November that ended the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war.

The Israeli military said later Wednesday that it did not intentionally target the peacekeepers, but dropped several sonic bombs near a suspect in a border area. It added that it had made contact with the peacekeeping force and explained what happened.

Unifil said Israeli drones dropped four grenades close to the peacekeepers, who were working to clear roadblocks that hindered access to a UN position along the border line.

One grenade hit within 20 yards and three others within approximately 100 yards of UN personnel and vehicles, it said, adding the drones were seen returning toward Israel.

Unifil said the Israeli military had been informed in advance of the peacekeeping force’s road clearance work in the area, southeast of the village of Marwahin less than a mile from the border line.

“Out of concern for the safety of peacekeepers following the incident, yesterday’s work was suspended,” Unifil said.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric when asked whether Secretary-General Antonio Guterres accepted Israel’s explanation that it did not intentionally target the peacekeepers, said: “Whether or not they meant to do it … what I can tell you is that the Israeli Defence Forces were fully informed in advance of the work that we were doing on road clearance in that area.”

He said that UN officials were “relieved that no one was hurt. But this could have been very tragic indeed.”

France, which has a large force within Unifil, condemned the attack, saying that the “respect of its members applies to all parties without exception”.

Qatar called it a “grave violation of international humanitarian law,” and the UN Security Council resolution that ended the Israel-Hezbollah war.

The attack came after the UN Security Council voted unanimously last week to terminate the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon at the end of next year after nearly five decades, bowing to demands from the United States and Israel.

The multinational peacekeeping force has played a significant role in monitoring the security situation in southern Lebanon for decades, including during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

The force has also drawn criticism from both sides and from officials in US President Donald Trump’s administration, which has cut US. funding for the operation as Mr Trump remakes America’s approach to foreign policy.

The Israel-Hezbollah war killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon, including hundreds of civilians, and caused destruction worth 11 billion US dollars (£8 billion), according to the World Bank.

In Israel, 127 people died, including 80 soldiers.

Unifil said any actions that endanger UN peacekeepers and assets or interfere with their tasks are unacceptable and a serious violation of international law and the resolution that ended the war.

It said it is the Israeli military’s responsibility to ensure the safety and security of the peacekeepers performing Security Council-mandated tasks.