The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon says it shot down an Israeli drone that flew over a patrol operating in the south of the country on Sunday, in the latest incident involving the force and Israel's military.
Unifil stated that the drone was flying in an 'aggressive manner' near the border town of Kfar Kila, prompting peacekeepers to apply 'necessary defensive countermeasures.'
However, the Israeli military contended that the drone was involved in 'routine intelligence-gathering activity.' In a statement, Lt Col Nadav Shoshani claimed, 'An initial inquiry suggests that Unifil forces stationed nearby deliberately fired at the drone and downed it. The drone's activity did not pose a threat to Unifil forces.'
Following the downing of the drone, Israeli forces allegedly dropped a grenade towards the area where the drone landed, although Lt Col Shoshani emphasized that no fire was directed at Unifil forces, and the matter is under military review.
Unifil further reported that the grenade originated from another Israeli drone 'close' to their patrol, and moments later, an Israeli tank fired towards the peacekeepers, though fortunately, no injuries or damage occurred.
Despite a ceasefire implemented last November that ended the conflict with Hezbollah, Israel continues to conduct drone operations and air strikes within Lebanon, citing their aim to thwart Hezbollah's rearmament efforts.
The UN and Lebanese authorities assert that Israel's actions violate Lebanese sovereignty and the ceasefire agreement. Notably, downing the Israeli drone is a rare occurrence for Unifil, which has been stationed in Lebanon since 1978 and is set to begin its withdrawal by the end of 2026.
The last recorded instance of Unifil downing an Israeli drone happened in October 2024, during the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
This latest tension arises amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to preserve the fragile ceasefire, with new discussions facilitated by US and French envoys aimed at strengthening state authority in southern Lebanon.
