UNIFIL: We urge all actors to avoid any actions that could put peacekeepers in danger
The following is a statement issued by UNIFIL on Wednesday: UNIFIL is increasingly concerned about the activities of Hezbollah members and Israeli soldiers near UN positions, including the increased use of drones, which has resulted in explosions in and around our bases and put peacekeepers at risk.
On Monday 11 May between 5:00 pm and 5:30 pm three presumed Hezbollah drones detonated in an area where Israeli soldiers could have been present, within meters of UNIFIL’s Naqoura headquarters. Another drone detonated in the same area on Tuesday 12 May at around 5:20 pm.
A few minutes later, a presumed Hezbollah drone detonated inside UNIFIL's Naqoura headquarters. No one was injured, but some buildings were damaged.
In a separate incident, on Sunday 10 May around 7:00 pm, a drone crashed in an open space in UNIFIL’s Naqoura headquarters. No one was injured. An explosive ordnance disposal team confirmed the next morning that the drone was not armed. An investigation is underway to determine the origin, but preliminary findings indicate it is of Iranian manufacture, suggesting it was launched by Hezbollah.
Further, last Tuesday 5 May an armed fiber optic-guided drone, presumably from Hezbollah, crashed through the roof of a building in a UN position near Al Hinniyah. It did not detonate and no one was injured.
UNIFIL continues to remind all actors to avoid operating in proximity of United Nations positions and personnel, and further urge all actors to avoid any actions that could put peacekeepers in danger. We have specifically protested Israeli army presence, activities, and movement of personnel and vehicles near our headquarters. We have also protested the activities of non-state actors near our positions to the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Despite the challenges we face, peacekeepers continue to impartially report what is happening on the ground in south Lebanon to the Security Council.
