IOF Drop Grenades Near UN Peacekeepers in South Lebanon

By Staff, Agencies

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon [UNIFIL] says "Israeli" occupation forces [IOF] have thrown grenades close to its peacekeepers in Nabatieh Governorate of southern Lebanon, denouncing the attack as a “serious violation” of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

The UNIFIL said in a statement Friday that IOF threw grenades near peacekeepers the day before.

The peacekeepers were working with Lebanese troops to protect civilian workers clearing rubble from homes destroyed in the "Israeli" aggression on the town of Maroun al-Ras.

The statement further said that a grenade detonated near an excavator approximately 500 meters away, followed by another explosion occurring 30 to 40 meters away, after a drone overflight.

About 20 minutes later, another drone was observed dropping a grenade that exploded only 20 meters above the heads of UNIFIL personnel.

“Fortunately, no one was injured, and the work eventually continued,” it said.

The statement stressed that “attacks on peacekeepers or interference with their mandated tasks show disregard for the safety and security of UNIFIL peacekeepers and the Lebanese army and the stability they are working to restore in south Lebanon.”

UNIFIL said these actions constitute a “serious violation” of Security Council Resolution 1701.

The resolution, which brokered a ceasefire in the 33-day-long war "Israel" launched against Lebanon in 2006, calls on the occupying "Tel Aviv" entity to respect Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The UNIFIL also called on the IOF to “cease attacks on or near peacekeepers, civilians, and Lebanese soldiers and allow us to carry out our mandated tasks without obstruction.”

UNIFIL was created after "Israel’s" 1978 invasion to oversee its withdrawal, with its mandate extended after the 2006 Lebanon war.

The "Israeli" attack also comes amid growing pressure on the Lebanese government to disarm the Hezbollah Resistance movement. The United States and "Israel" have increasingly attacked the peacekeeping force for not countering Hezbollah in South Lebanon.

However, observers note that the UNIFIL’s mandate does not include countering Hezbollah, and the Resistance group is widely viewed across Lebanon as a critical deterrent against "Israeli" aggression.

Despite near-daily "Israeli" airstrikes and repeated violations of Lebanese airspace and sovereignty, Hezbollah remains the only credible military force capable of confronting the occupation and preventing further "Israeli" incursions.

Lebanese officials have condemned "Israel’s" continued occupation of five positions in South Lebanon, calling it a clear breach of the ceasefire terms.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, under growing US-"Israeli" pressure to push for Hezbollah’s disarmament, welcomed the extension of UNIFIL’s mandate but emphasized the need for "Israel" to withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory.

Critics, however, question how Lebanese forces can assert control in the south while IOF remain in place and escalate attacks.

As calls to disarm Hezbollah grow louder from Washington and "Israel", many in Lebanon argue that such efforts ignore the core issue of "Israel’s" continued violations of Lebanese sovereignty.