Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
November 17, 2025 Peace and security
On Sunday, a UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) foot patrol was attacked by an Israeli Merkava tank in Lebanese territory. The explosion occurred just five meters from the peacekeepers, who were forced to seek cover.
Mission representatives contacted the IDF and demanded a ceasefire. The patrol was able to safely leave the area half an hour after the incident, when the tank retreated to Israeli positions.
"Fortunately, no one was injured," UNIFIL said in a statement, adding that the attack was a serious violation of Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006 to broker a peace agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.
The IDF said the incident was caused by "mistaken identity" of the peacekeepers in bad weather conditions and that the army had no intention of targeting them.
However, this is the third such incident in the past three months. On September 2, Israeli drones dropped four grenades near peacekeepers clearing a path to a UN position near the Blue Line, the buffer zone between Israel and Lebanon. On October 26, UNIFIL reported that an Israeli drone dropped a grenade near a peacekeeper patrol, followed by tank fire.
Mission conclusion
The latest incident comes at a challenging time for UNIFIL, which is scheduled to leave Lebanon by the end of 2027 after nearly half a century of presence along the Blue Line. The mission, established by the Security Council in 1978 to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, currently numbers approximately 10,500 peacekeepers, remaining a key element of relative stability in the region.
The mission's mandate was expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, and again after heavy fighting last fall that devastated several towns in southern Lebanon.
Since the cessation of hostilities in November 2024, UNIFIL has supported the deployment of the Lebanese National Army in areas where Lebanon is attempting to regain control.
“We once again call on the IDF to cease all aggressive actions and attacks against peacekeepers or near their positions,” UNIFIL emphasized, recalling that peacekeepers “are working to restore the stability that both Israel and Lebanon seek.”
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