UN reports attacks and ordnance near peacekeepers in Lebanon; Security Council extends mandate
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Summary
The UN reported increased incidents near UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon — including tank fire near positions, a drone carrying an explosive, and discovered weapons caches — and noted the Security Council extended the peacekeeping mandate for another year.
The United Nations said peacekeepers in southern Lebanon have faced an increased frequency of incidents that threaten their safety. Spokesperson Steph reported that an Israeli tank near an IDF position fired rounds that landed approximately five meters from UNIFIL personnel and that Unifil requested the Israeli Defense Forces to stop the firing immediately through liaison channels.
Steph said a drone fell inside a UN position southeast of Marwahin with an associated grenade that was detonated by explosive ordnance disposal teams as they investigate its origin. She also described separate detected shelling events and the discovery by UNIFIL of unauthorized weapons caches and unexploded ordnance, including a rocket-propelled grenade and ammunition found near a roughly 50-meter tunnel northwest of Frun.
The briefing noted that the Security Council on Friday extended the mandate of the peacekeeping force for another year. Steph urged all parties to uphold obligations to protect UN personnel and property and said "peacekeepers must never be targeted by attacks."
The briefing did not provide detailed attribution or casualty figures related to the incidents and referred audiences to UNIFIL for technical details and follow-up.