Israel Drops Hand Grenades on UNIFIL Forces in Southern Lebanon

In a serious escalation, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon ( UNIFIL ) announced that Israeli military drones dropped four hand grenades near its positions in southern Lebanon yesterday morning, Tuesday.

UNIFIL confirmed that the incident occurred while it was conducting obstacle removal operations that hinder access to a UN point near the Blue Line.

UNIFIL described this attack as one of the "most serious attacks" on its personnel since the signing of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024, an agreement that ended violent confrontations between the two sides in southern Lebanon.

According to sources, the grenades fell in different locations: one was 20 meters away from the peacekeeping forces, while three other grenades fell about 100 meters from UN personnel and vehicles.

At the time of the incident, UNIFIL forces were removing obstacles in the area southeast of the town of Marwahin, a process that had been previously communicated to the Israeli army.

Despite this, Israeli drones were spotted dropping grenades very close to the peacekeeping forces, reflecting the seriousness of the escalation.

UNIFIL added that the attack poses a clear threat to international security and constitutes a blatant violation of Resolution 1701, which ensures the protection of UN forces in Lebanon, as well as international laws related to the safety of humanitarian missions.

UNIFIL considered that "any action that endangers peacekeeping forces or interferes with their missions is absolutely unacceptable, and the Israeli army must be responsible for ensuring the security and safety of these forces."

It is noted that the ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024 was the result of violent confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and it stipulated a ceasefire, the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south with the support of UNIFIL forces.

The agreement also stipulated that Hezbollah withdraw beyond the Litani River and confirmed the restriction of weapons to the Lebanese state.

However, despite this, Israel still controls five strategic sites on the Lebanese border and insists on not withdrawing from them until Hezbollah's weapons are completely removed from the area.

In light of this escalation, southern Lebanon remains in a state of constant tension, amid international calls for peaceful solutions that enhance regional stability and protect the safety of UN peacekeeping forces.