Berlin: Israeli troops fired warning shots at UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, mistaking them for suspects, amid poor weather conditions, according to Israel. The incident involved Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) firing on United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers, who were mistakenly identified as threats.

According to Deutsche Welle, UNIFIL reported that Israeli forces fired from a Merkava tank, with heavy machine gun rounds landing approximately 5 meters from the peacekeepers. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The IDF noted that two individuals were identified as suspects in the El Hamames area of southern Lebanon, prompting troops to fire warning shots. It was later confirmed that the suspects were, in fact, UN soldiers conducting a patrol.

The exchange resulted in UNIFIL forces being pinned down for about 30 minutes until IDF soldiers withdrew, allowing the peacekeepers to leave the area. UNIFIL officials condemned the incident as a “serious violation” of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which restricts armed forces in southern Lebanon to UN peacekeepers and the Lebanese military.

The UN peacekeepers have been collaborating with the Lebanese army to monitor a truce between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants, established following a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The ceasefire agreement demands the disarmament of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, although Israel has maintained strategic positions in the area.

Israel maintains that its operations target Hezbollah fighters, while Lebanon accuses Israel of violating its sovereignty and destabilizing the region. Lebanon is reportedly working with international partners to address the ongoing ceasefire violations.

UNIFIL emphasized that this incident is not an isolated case of endangerment faced by UN peacekeepers from Israeli actions. In their statement on Sunday, UNIFIL reiterated their call for the IDF to cease aggressive actions near peacekeepers.