The UN mission said in a statement issued on Sunday that at 4:30 a.m. local time, two Israeli army tanks broke through the main gate of the Merkava tank installation and forced their way into it.
The UN mission protested the incident, saying the Israeli military’s presence posed a threat to peacekeepers. After about 43 minutes, the tanks left.
Then peacekeepers stationed at the same camp said that several rounds were fired about 100 meters away, due to which smoke spread there.
United Nations peacekeepers have also been the target of violence in recent days between airstrikes and ground operations by the Israeli military in Lebanon, with five reportedly injured so far. The UN camp and compound were damaged and traffic was disrupted.
The UN Secretary-General reiterated in his statement that the security of UN personnel and property must be ensured and violations of UN premises must be avoided at all costs.
He commended the staff of the UNIFIL mission for their duty, whose dedication has resulted in flying the flag of the United Nations.
important responsibility
The statement said the situation is being continuously reviewed by the UN mission to make decisions about the safety of the peacekeepers and the presence of the mission.
The UN chief noted that UNIFIL’s role and presence in southern Lebanon is in line with the mandate set by the Security Council.
“In this context, UNIFIL is committed to maintaining its capacity to support a diplomatic solution based on Resolution 1701, which is the only way forward.”
The UNIFIL mission, established by the UN Security Council, is tasked with monitoring a ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah faction, ensuring the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, and restoring Lebanese government authority to the region.
Violation of international law
The top UN official said UNIFIL is a peacekeeper and its premises will never be targeted. According to him, attacks against peacekeepers can be classified as a violation of international law and a war crime.
Secretary-General Guterres called on all parties to avoid any actions that put UN peacekeepers at risk. He reiterated his call for full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 and an end to the conflict.