UNIFIL slams Israeli drone attack on peacekeepers

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon said Wednesday that Israeli drones dropped four grenades near peacekeepers in "one of the most serious attacks" on its personnel since a November ceasefire.

The truce ended more than a year of hostilities and two months of open war between Israel and Hezbollah, but the United Nations has reported several attacks on its positions in south Lebanon since.

"Yesterday morning, Israel Defense Forces drones dropped four grenades close to UNIFIL peacekeepers working to clear roadblocks hindering access to a U.N. position," the force said, referring to the Israeli military.

"One grenade impacted within 20 meters and three within approximately 100 meters of U.N. personnel and vehicles," it added.

The Israeli army said on Wednesday that its forces had not intentionally fired at peacekeepers in Lebanon.

A military statement said Israeli forces in southern Lebanon had "identified suspicious activity" and "deployed several (stun) grenades in the vicinity to disrupt and remove the potential threat", stressing that "no intentional fire was directed at UNIFIL personnel".

The U.N. force said the strike was "one of the most serious attacks on UNIFIL personnel and assets since the cessation of hostilities agreement of last November".

Under the term of the agreement, UNIFIL has been assisting the Lebanese army to dismantle Hezbollah military infrastructure in the south as its deploys across the region.

UNIFIL said the Israeli military had been informed in advance of its plans to carry out road clearance work near the de facto border southeast of the village of Marwahin.

It said endangering the lives of peacekeepers constituted a violation of the 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution that formed the basis of last year's ceasefire.

"Any actions endangering U.N. peacekeepers and assets, and interference with their mandated tasks are unacceptable and a serious violation of Resolution 1701 and international law," it said.

The U.N. Security Council voted last week for U.N. peacekeepers to leave Lebanon in 2027, allowing only one final extension of its mandate after pressure from Israel and its U.S. ally to wind up the nearly 50-year-old force.

Israel hailed the upcoming termination of UNIFIL and urged the Lebanese government to exercise its authority throughout its territory after the Israeli military severely weakened Hezbollah.

With the U.S. administration dangling a veto threat, the Security Council voted unanimously for a resolution that will extend UNIFIL's mandate "a final time".

Last year's ceasefire stipulates that only the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers can deploy in south Lebanon.

However Israel has maintained troops in five locations it deems "strategic" and still regularly strikes targets in a campaign it says will continue until Hezbollah has been disarmed.