UN peacekeeper wounded in attack on UNIFIL position in Lebanon

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported Saturday that one of its peacekeepers was injured during an overnight attack on a position near the southern Lebanese village of Meiss ej Jebel. UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel confirmed in a statement that the facility was struck by what is believed to be heavy machine gun fire, causing a fire that broke out at the location.

"The impact caused a fire, and one peacekeeper on his way to the shelter was lightly injured," Ardiel said, providing details of the incident. The peacekeeper was reportedly moving toward a protective shelter when the attack occurred, sustaining minor wounds that required medical attention. UNIFIL has launched an investigation to determine the source and circumstances of the gunfire that struck its position.

UN Calls for Protection of Peacekeepers

In her statement, Ardiel emphasized the fundamental obligation of all parties to ensure the safety of UN personnel operating in the region. "We remind all actors of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers at all times," she said, delivering a clear message to the various armed forces operating in southern Lebanon.

Türkiye continues to monitor the situation along the Israeli-Lebanese border, where UNIFIL forces serve as a buffer between the two sides. The attack on the UN position highlights the increasingly dangerous environment for international peacekeepers as hostilities expand across multiple fronts following the US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

Escalating Conflict Along the Blue Line

The incident occurred against a backdrop of sharply increased military activity in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah began targeting Israeli military sites on March 2 in response to the US-Israeli attacks on Iran that killed then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, as well as ongoing Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory. This escalation effectively collapsed the ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024.

Israel expanded its campaign on the same day with airstrikes targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut and areas throughout southern and eastern Lebanon. By March 3, Israeli forces had launched a limited ground incursion into southern Lebanon, operating alongside the broader joint military campaign with the United States against Iran that began on February 28. The intensified fighting has placed UNIFIL positions directly in harm's way, raising concerns about the safety of the peacekeeping mission.