File image, via the UNIFIL account on X.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on October 25 that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had fired at one of their observation posts in southern Lebanon.
“IDF soldiers fired at an observation post near the border village of Dhayra on Tuesday [October 22],” the peacekeeping force said in a statement, adding “the duty guards withdrew to avoid being shot.”
The force also reported three incidents of unidentified fire impacting its positions, teams and vehicles over the past week, adding no peacekeepers were hurt but describing the security situation in southern Lebanon amid the clashes between the IDF and Hezbollah as “extremely challenging.”
“Since early October, peacekeepers have observed clashes on the ground in or around” a dozen south Lebanon villages and towns,” the UNIFIL said, noting that “rocket fire from Lebanon and heavy air and artillery strikes from Israel have continued.”
The IDF “ has repeatedly demanded that the UNIFIL vacate its positions… and has deliberately damaged camera, lighting, and communications equipment at some positions,” according to the UN force.
“Despite the pressure being exerted on the mission and our troop-contributing countries, peacekeepers remain in position and on task,” it said. “All actors are reminded of their obligation to avoid actions putting peacekeepers or civilians in danger.”
The clashes on the Lebanese-Israeli border first broke out after the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, with Hezbollah launching attacks in support of the Palestinian enclave. Israel escalated its attacks on Lebanon starting from September 17 and on September 27 it assassinated the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nassrallah.
The IDF officially announced the launch of a limited ground operation against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon on September 30.
On October 13, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the UN to withdraw its force from southern Lebanon. The call came after several peacekeepers were wounded by IDF fire. Israel faced some backlash over the attacks, but it took no measures to guarantee the security of the UNIFIL.
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