The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that an Israeli tank collided with peacekeeping vehicles twice on Sunday in southern Lebanon, a region experiencing ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah since last month.
UNIFIL’s statement detailed that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers used a Merkava tank to ram their vehicles, resulting in significant damage in one incident. Additionally, Israeli troops blocked a road in Bayada, south Lebanon, which is a critical access route for UNIFIL positions.
Over the past week, Israeli forces have fired warning shots in the area, striking and damaging clearly marked UNIFIL vehicles. In one alarming event, a warning shot landed just a meter away from a peacekeeper who had exited his vehicle. The statement also highlighted ongoing restrictions on peacekeepers’ movements along this road and other locations, with repeated denials of freedom of movement.
UNIFIL patrols operate near the Israeli border in southern Lebanon, where fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has intensified since last month. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, escalated the conflict by launching rocket attacks on Israel in support of its ally.
Last month, three Indonesian peacekeepers lost their lives in southern Lebanon. A preliminary UN investigation attributed one death to Israeli tank fire, while the other two were caused by an improvised explosive device. Several other UNIFIL personnel have sustained injuries since the outbreak of hostilities.
In a significant development this month, Israeli soldiers destroyed force protection cameras at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqura and at five other locations. On Saturday, they also spray-painted the windows of the headquarters’ pedestrian access gate, obstructing visibility of the external perimeter.
UNIFIL condemned these actions as contrary to the obligation to ensure peacekeepers’ safety and security, as well as their freedom of movement. The UN peacekeeping force has long served as a buffer between Lebanon and Israel, though its mandate is set to expire at the end of this year.
