UNIFIL says its peacekeepers were attacked by rocks and a Finnish soldier was slapped in south Lebanon. PM Salam condemns “repeated attacks,” demands accountability.
United Nations peacekeepers encountered a rock-throwing assault during a patrol in south Lebanon on Tuesday, with the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) immediately condemning the incident and declaring the repeated targeting of its troops “unacceptable”, AFP reported.
UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti confirmed that a Finnish soldier was “slapped during the confrontation” near Hallusiyat Al-Tahta. The situation was ultimately defused following the intervention of the Lebanese army, which allowed the peacekeeping force to continue its mission.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam issued a strong condemnation of the “repeated attacks” on UNIFIL forces, calling for those responsible to be apprehended and held accountable.
UNIFIL, deployed since 1978, is meant to play a role in separating Lebanon and Israel and supervising the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
UNIFIL peacekeepers have repeatedly come under attack over the years. In late 2020, a mob seized equipment from a UNIFIL convoy in south Lebanon after blocking its route.
In January of 2022, unknown perpetrators attacked a group of UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, vandalizing their vehicles and stealing official items from them.
In August of last year, three UN peacekeepers on patrol were lightly injured when an explosion occurred near their vehicle in the village of Yarine in southern Lebanon.
In October of 2024, the IDF revealed that approximately 25 rockets and missiles had been launched at Israeli communities and IDF troops from Hezbollah’s terrorist compounds embedded near UNIFIL posts in southern Lebanon, exploiting their proximity to UN forces. One of the attacks resulted in the deaths of two IDF soldiers.
As a result of these attacks, the IDF conducted strikes near UNIFIL posts, making sure to warn the peacekeepers beforehand and requesting that they vacate the posts. Nevertheless, UNIFIL accused Israel of deliberately targeting its peacekeepers.
