Israeli forces drop grenades near UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) says Israeli forces 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 on Friday that grenades were thrown the previous day by the Israeli army near peacekeepers, as the latter were operating in conjunction with Lebanese troops to protect civilian workers clearing away the rubble of homes that were destroyed during 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 regime to respect Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Israel carries out airstrikes in southern Lebanon in violation of ceasefire; 3 killed

At least three people have been killed and several others injured in a series of Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon.

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

The UNIFIL was established to supervise the exit of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon after Israel’s invasion in 1978. Its mandate was extended after the conflict in Lebanon during the summer of 2006.

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 southern 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 southern 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 Israeli troops 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.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk