UNIFIL warns of risks to peacekeepers amid Lebanon crossfire

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon issued a stark warning Sunday, saying that ongoing military clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters near UN positions are putting peacekeepers at serious risk. UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said in a statement that the mission has “continually expressed concern about Hezbollah fighters and Israeli soldiers firing projectiles and bullets at or near our positions,” noting that such incidents have already resulted in deaths and injuries among UN personnel.

Combatants operating near UN bases

Ardiel added that both sides have carried out attacks from areas close to UN positions, which “could potentially draw return fire” toward peacekeepers. She warned about the presence of combatants operating in close proximity to locations where UN personnel live and work. “These activities put peacekeepers in danger,” she said, reminding all parties of their legal obligation to ensure the safety and security of UN staff and to respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times.

Call for ceasefire and Türkiye’s position

UNIFIL urged all actors to “put down their weapons and work seriously toward a ceasefire,” stressing that “there is no military solution to this conflict.” The warning comes amid intensified hostilities: Israel has carried out airstrikes and a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a Hezbollah cross-border attack on March 2, despite a ceasefire that had been in place since November 2024. Hezbollah has fired rocket barrages into Israel, citing continued Israeli strikes on Lebanon and the February 28 killing of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli airstrike. For Türkiye, which has historically contributed to UNIFIL and maintains close ties with both Lebanon and regional actors, the endangerment of peacekeepers is deeply concerning. Ankara has repeatedly called for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and for all parties to respect the safety of UN personnel.