Lebanon: UN peacekeepers warn that drone incidents near their positions could endanger personnel

The warning comes amid ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah fighters, despite a ceasefire that began on April 17.

On Monday, May 11, between 17:00 and 17:30, “three drones suspected to belong to Hezbollah exploded in an area where Israeli security forces soldiers may have been, within a few meters of their location. UNIFILE headquarters in Naqoura,” the mission said in a statement.

Various incidents

Another drone exploded in the same area on Tuesday 12 May, at around 17.20 and a few minutes later, “a drone suspected to belong to Hezbollah exploded inside the UNIFIL headquarters”. No casualties were reported, but several buildings were damaged.

In a separate incident on the evening of Sunday 10 May, an unarmed drone crashed in an open area inside UNIFIL headquarters. No one was hurt.

UNIFIL said that initial findings showed that the drone was made in Iran, “suggesting that it was launched by Hezbollah”.

The peacekeeping mission also reported that on Tuesday May 5, a fiber optic guided drone, also believed to be linked to Hezbollah, crashed through the roof of a building at a UN position near Al Hinniyah in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon. The drone did not explode, and no injuries were reported.

Guarantee the security of peacekeepers

UNIFIL reiterates its call on all parties to avoid operations near UN positions and personnel, and to refrain from any actions that could endanger peacekeeping forces.

The mission said that it specifically protested the presence, activities and movements of Israeli security personnel and vehicles near UNIFIL headquarters. They also protested the activities of non-state actors close to the UN position in the Lebanese Armed Forces.

According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli attacks have killed more than 380 people since the ceasefire began. The overall death toll from Israeli attacks since March 2 when the war broke out shortly after the start of the Israeli-US bombing of Iran has now reached more than 2,880 people, including 279 women and 200 children.

Hostilities continue

Elsewhere in southern Lebanon, two airstrikes on Tuesday reportedly destroyed several buildings in Sohmor village in Bekaa province, after evacuation orders were issued overnight for the entire village.

According to the UN aid office, Ochaattacks continue to impact health services and essential civil services, including one on Monday that hit a volunteer-run medical center affiliated with health authorities in Srifa, in Southern province, killing one medic and wounding five others.

“On the same day, another medic died in Toul, in Nabatiyeh province, while assisting victims after an attack,” OCHA said.