Hugo Bachega,Center East correspondent and
Samantha Granville
EPAThe UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon says it shot down an Israeli drone that flew over a patrol working within the south of the nation on Sunday, within the newest incident involving the pressure and Israel’s army.
Unifil mentioned the drone was flying in an “aggressive method” close to the border city of Kfar Kila and that peacekeepers utilized “vital defensive countermeasures”.
The Israeli army, nevertheless, mentioned the drone was finishing up “routine intelligence-gathering exercise”.
“An preliminary inquiry means that Unifil forces stationed close by intentionally fired on the drone and downed it. The drone’s exercise didn’t pose a menace to Unifil forces,” spokesman Lt Col Nadav Shoshani posted on X.
He mentioned Israeli forces later dropped a grenade in direction of the world the place the drone fell.
“It needs to be emphasised that no hearth was directed at Unifil forces. The incident is being additional reviewed via army coordination channels,” he added.
Unifil mentioned the grenade was dropped by one other Israeli drone “shut” to a patrol.
“Moments later, an Israeli tank fired a shot in direction of the peacekeepers. Thankfully, no harm or harm was triggered to the Unifil peacekeepers and property.”
Regardless of a ceasefire that got here into pressure final November that ended the conflict with the Lebanese motion Hezbollah, Israel has continued to fly drones over Lebanon and perform air strikes on folks and targets in Lebanon it says are linked to the group.
The army says it’s appearing to stop Hezbollah from regrouping and rearming.
The UN and the Lebanese authorities say Israel’s actions are a violation of the nation’s sovereignty and in breach of the ceasefire deal.
Downing an Israeli drone is a uncommon motion by Unifil, which has been working on Lebanon’s southern border since 1978 and is ready to start a year-long withdrawal from the nation on the finish of 2026.
The final recognized occasion occurred in October 2024, when a German naval vessel collaborating in Unifil intercepted and neutralised a drone off Lebanon’s coast throughout the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
ReutersThe newest flare-up comes amid ongoing pressure alongside the Israel-Lebanon border regardless of a ceasefire reached final yr.
Underneath the settlement, Israeli troops had been to withdraw from southern Lebanon, whereas Hezbollah was to maneuver its fighters north of the Litani River and dismantle its army infrastructure there – a plan the group and its allies strongly oppose.
Solely the Lebanese military and Unifil are authorised to deploy armed personnel within the space south of the Litani, however Israel has maintained positions at a number of strategic border websites and has stepped up air strikes in latest weeks on what it mentioned have been Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure, regardless of worldwide and home stress.
Lebanon faces an intense week of diplomatic exercise aimed toward reviving the truce and consolidating state authority within the south.
A brand new assembly of the US and French-led ceasefire monitoring mechanism – chaired by its lately appointed head, Gen Joseph Clearfield, and attended by US envoy Morgan Ortagus – is predicted to happen alongside visits by Arab League Secretary-Basic Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad.
US envoy Tom Barrack can be because of return to Beirut forward of the arrival of incoming US Ambassador Michel Issa, who is ready to take over the Lebanon portfolio subsequent month.
