A senior UN peacekeeper has been injured in an attack on a convoy, highlighting escalating tensions in Lebanon amid protests related to Iranian flight restrictions.
UN Peacekeeping Convoy Attacked in Lebanon, Deputy Commander Injured
UN Peacekeeping Convoy Attacked in Lebanon, Deputy Commander Injured
Violence erupts as protests intensify over Iranian planes barred from landing in Beirut.
In a shocking incident, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) reported that its outgoing deputy commander was injured during a violent ambush on a convoy headed to the Beirut airport. The attack involved the torched destruction of one UN vehicle and resulted in the deployment of peacekeepers to restore order in a region increasingly fraught with unrest.
The convoy was targeted amid ongoing protests from supporters of Hezbollah—a group that has rallied against the Lebanese government's recent decision to prevent two Iranian planes from landing in the capital. Video footage circulating on social media depicts groups of young men aggressing the peacekeepers, leading to the injury of the unnamed deputy commander as he was concluding his mission in southern Lebanon.
International outrage ensued with Unifil condemning the attack as a breach of international law, and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun labeled the incident as “unacceptable.” The Lebanese army has pledged to investigate and pursue those responsible for the assault. Aoun expressed determination to maintain civil peace, warning against any attempts to destabilize the country.
In the aftermath, Lebanon's Interior Minister Ahmed Al-Hajjar announced plans for a security meeting to address the attack, deeming it a “crime against peacekeeping forces.” The convoy was reportedly on its route to Colombia against the backdrop of mounting tensions as the Israeli Defense Forces claimed Iran was using civil flights to transfer funds to Hezbollah, heightening the strife surrounding the Lebanese-Iranian relationship.
Unifil remains committed to monitoring the area, which has been marred with sporadic violence and unrest since its inception following the 2006 Lebanon War. The escalation of aggression toward peacekeepers in the region raises alarms about the implications for stability in Lebanon and the broader geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
The convoy was targeted amid ongoing protests from supporters of Hezbollah—a group that has rallied against the Lebanese government's recent decision to prevent two Iranian planes from landing in the capital. Video footage circulating on social media depicts groups of young men aggressing the peacekeepers, leading to the injury of the unnamed deputy commander as he was concluding his mission in southern Lebanon.
International outrage ensued with Unifil condemning the attack as a breach of international law, and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun labeled the incident as “unacceptable.” The Lebanese army has pledged to investigate and pursue those responsible for the assault. Aoun expressed determination to maintain civil peace, warning against any attempts to destabilize the country.
In the aftermath, Lebanon's Interior Minister Ahmed Al-Hajjar announced plans for a security meeting to address the attack, deeming it a “crime against peacekeeping forces.” The convoy was reportedly on its route to Colombia against the backdrop of mounting tensions as the Israeli Defense Forces claimed Iran was using civil flights to transfer funds to Hezbollah, heightening the strife surrounding the Lebanese-Iranian relationship.
Unifil remains committed to monitoring the area, which has been marred with sporadic violence and unrest since its inception following the 2006 Lebanon War. The escalation of aggression toward peacekeepers in the region raises alarms about the implications for stability in Lebanon and the broader geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
