Italy, Spain summon Israeli envoys after UNIFIL incidents in Lebanon

Spain and Italy have summoned Israeli diplomats after separate incidents involving UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, escalating tensions between European states and Israel.

Italy on Wednesday summoned Israel’s ambassador following an incident in Lebanon in which an Italian UN peacekeepers' vehicle was damaged by Israeli warning shots.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, in a post on X, said he had "just instructed the Israeli ambassador to Italy to be summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to clarify what happened today in Lebanon," stressing that "the Italian military will remain untouched."

The move came after Tajani told parliament that an Italian UNIFIL convoy was hit during escalating hostilities.

"Israeli warning shots damaged one of our vehicles; fortunately, no injuries were reported, but the convoy had to return," he said, according to ANSA news agency, adding that the convoy had been carrying personnel to Beirut for repatriation.

Tajani also warned of intensifying Israeli operations, saying there had been "the most violent Israeli bombing since the resumption of the war, with 150 aircraft reportedly engaged across Lebanon."

Detention of Spanish UN peacekeeper

Spain also summoned Israel’s charge d’affaires to protest the “unjustified detention” of a Spanish UN peacekeeper by the Israeli army in Lebanon, according to Spanish broadcaster Cadena Ser.

Sources at the Foreign Ministry told Cadena Ser that the envoy was called in to formally convey Madrid’s protest over the incident involving a member of the UNIFIL.

The development follows an incident late Tuesday in which Israeli forces briefly detained a peacekeeper after stopping a UNIFIL logistics convoy in southern Lebanon.

Spain’s Defence Minister Margarita Robles said the Spanish soldier, who was part of a contingent delivering supplies, was held for about an hour before being released following high-level intervention, according to local media reports.

‘Illegal, unacceptable’

“The fact that there was an absolutely illegal detention of a United Nations member, in this case a Spanish peacekeeper, is unacceptable,” said Robles, who also met with the Lebanese ambassador in Madrid.

UNIFIL confirmed the incident on Tuesday, saying a peacekeeper was detained after a logistics convoy was blocked by Israeli forces but was released shortly after direct contacts with mission leadership.

“Any detention of a United Nations peacekeeper is a blatant violation of international law,” the mission said on US social media platform X, calling for full respect for the freedom of movement of its personnel.

The incident comes amid ongoing Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon, where strikes continue despite a ceasefire linked to the Iran conflict.