An Israeli tank opened fire on the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the mission said on Sunday, calling the incident a “serious violation” of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
According to UNIFIL, heavy machine-gun rounds struck the ground about five meters from peacekeepers who were on foot patrol near a position Israel has erected inside Lebanese territory.
The peacekeepers were forced to take shelter, and no injuries were reported.
UNIFIL said it immediately contacted the Israeli military through liaison channels to demand an end to the firing.
Violation of UN Resolution 1701 amid rising tensions
The mission condemned the incident, urging Israel to halt “aggressive behaviour and attacks on or near peacekeepers,” who it said remain focused on restoring stability along the border.
Under Resolution 1701, adopted after the 2006 Israel–Hezbollah war, both sides are required to cease hostilities and maintain a weapons-free zone between the Blue Line and Lebanon’s Litani River.
The incident comes as tensions in southern Lebanon escalate.
Israel has intensified near-daily strikes targeting what it claims are Hezbollah sites, and its military offensive — which began in October 2023 and expanded in September 2024 — has killed more than 4,000 people and injured nearly 17,000, according to Lebanese authorities.
A ceasefire announced in November 2024 required Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon by January, but the army has only partially pulled back and continues to occupy five border outposts.
