UNIFIL at Risk as They Deliver Protection for Civilians in Southern Lebanon

United Nations peacekeepers stationed in southern Lebanon have reported multiple incidents in recent days where their safety has been compromised by the Israeli army amid Israel's ongoing military operations in the region.

On October 10, two personnel from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) sustained injuries when an Israeli tank targeted Unifil’s headquarters located in Naqoura. They are currently receiving medical attention for their minor injuries.

This incident is part of a broader pattern of IDF troops engaging Unifil positions with gunfire in recent days. In response, Unifil issued a statement urging the IDF and all involved parties to prioritize the safety and security of UN personnel and property, emphasizing the need to uphold the inviolability of UN facilities at all times.

For 44 years, the presence of UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon has been crucial in maintaining a degree of predictability and stability along an international fault line that could potentially escalate into a larger conflict in the Middle East. Their role has often been to highlight the situation on the ground and to deliver humanitarian aid to the local communities.

The Unifil mission operates in a region of southern Lebanon that extends approximately 18 miles north from the de facto Lebanese border with Israel to the Litani River. 

Since September 30, Israeli tanks have been advancing into southern Lebanon, contravening UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was enacted in 2006 to conclude the 33-day conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. In response, Hezbollah has engaged in combat, resulting in increasing casualties.