BEIRUT: The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon said Israeli soldiers shot at its troops on Sunday in the south of the country, which “represents a serious violation of UN Security Council resolution 1701”, while Israel’s military said it mistook blue helmets for ‘suspects’.

The UNIFIL protested that Israeli forces “fired on UNIFIL peacekeepers from a Merkava tank from near a position Israel has established in Lebanese territory,” adding that heavy machine gun rounds hit about five metres from their personnel.

Sunday’s incident was not the first in which UNIFIL accused Israel of endangering its troops. “Yet again, we call on the IDF to cease any aggressive behaviour and attacks on or near peacekeepers,” the force said.

Lebanon’s army, meanwhile, accused Israel of “violating Lebanese sovereignty, causing instability and obstructing the full deployment of the army in the south”.

The army is meant to deploy to the area alongside UNIFIL as part of the ceasefire agreement. It said it was “working, in coordination with friendly countries, to put and end to the continuous violations”.

The UNIFIL said the peacekeepers this time managed to “leave safely 30 minutes later” after the tank withdrew inside the Israeli position.

However, the Israeli military blamed ‘poor weather conditions’ for the shooting.

Israel denied it had deliberately targeted UN troops. In a statement, the Israeli military said “two suspects were identified” in the El Hamames area of southern Lebanon.

“The troops subsequently fired warning shots, and the suspects distanced themselves. No injuries were reported,” it said.

Israel blames poor weather, says it mistook blue helmets for ‘suspects’

“After a review, it was determined that the suspects were UN soldiers who were conducting a patrol in the area and were classified as suspects due to poor weather conditions. No deliberate fire was directed toward UNIFIL soldiers.”

UNIFIL has been working with Lebanon to consolidate a truce between Israel and Hezbollah reached last year. It said the Sunday shooting “represents a serious violation of UN Security Council resolution 1701”, which ended a 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, and also formed the basis of last November’s truce.

Under the deal, Israel was to withdraw its forces from south Lebanon, but it has kept them at five areas in violation of the ceasefire agreement. It has also carried out regular strikes on targets in Lebanon.

About Sunday shooting, the Israeli military said the incident was under examination.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2025