Israeli forces opened fire on UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon on Sunday, in an incident that fortunately left no one injured.
According to the UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL, Israeli troops fired from a tank stationed in Lebanese territory at peacekeepers on foot. Heavy machine-gun fire landed just five meters away, forcing the UN personnel to take cover.
The Israeli military stated that their soldiers initially mistook the peacekeepers for potential threats due to poor weather conditions. The incident is currently under investigation. The tank withdrew after UN peacekeepers contacted Israeli forces through official channels.
UNIFIL described the incident as a “serious violation” of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which stipulates, among other provisions, that no armed units other than UN peacekeepers and the Lebanese army may operate in southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese army condemned the repeated violations of its sovereignty by Israel, warning that such actions are contributing to instability in the country.
