Beirut (Diplomat.so) - Three peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were wounded Friday during heavy shelling that struck their base in southwest Lebanon, the mission confirmed, raising renewed concerns about the safety of international forces as hostilities intensify along the Israeli-Lebanese frontier.
In a statement released late Friday, UNIFIL said the injuries occurred inside its compound in the village of Qawzah during what it described as "intense clashes” in the surrounding area. One peacekeeper suffered serious injuries and was evacuated to a hospital in Beirut for treatment, while the other two were treated at a UNIFIL medical facility. The mission also reported that a fire ignited inside the base but was quickly extinguished.
"UNIFIL will conduct a full investigation into the circumstances of this tragic incident,” the peacekeeping force said, emphasizing that attacks endangering UN personnel violate international law.
The incident drew immediate international reaction. Emmanuel Macron, president of France, condemned what he described as an "unacceptable attack” against a UN peacekeeping position. Writing on the social platform X, Macron said he had spoken with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, stressing that Paris is working with partners to prevent the conflict from spreading further across the region.
The clashes come amid a rapidly escalating confrontation between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah. The current round of hostilities erupted earlier this week after Hezbollah launched rocket barrages into Israel, which it said were retaliation for Israeli-U.S. strikes in Iran that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader.
UNIFIL, established in 1978, patrols southern Lebanon as a buffer between Israeli and Lebanese forces. Since the November 2024 ceasefire that ended more than a year of cross-border war, the mission has also supported the Lebanese army in efforts to stabilize the region and enforce government security arrangements.
Meanwhile, violence elsewhere in Lebanon continued Friday. The Lebanese Ministry of Health said Israeli airstrikes hit the town of Nabi Chit in the Baalbek District, killing at least nine people and injuring 17 others. Rescue teams were still searching for survivors trapped beneath the rubble late Friday.
Analysts warn the incidents highlight the growing risk that international peacekeepers could become caught in the expanding regional conflict.
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