Archiv: United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)


24.04.2026 - 20:12 [ Britannica.com ]

Lebanese Civil War

Among the consequences of the war was the Syrian occupation of Lebanon until 2005; the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon until 2000; the creation of the Hezbollah, a Shiʿi militia formed to confront Israel and later adapted into a political party and social welfare network; the expulsion of the PLO from Lebanon; and the rebuilding of Lebanon by a handful of businessmen, including the two-time prime minister (1992–98; 2000–04) Rafic al-Hariri. (…)

With Palestinian forces continuing to conduct cross-border raids into Israel, Israel launched a major reprisal attack in March 1978, sending troops into the south of Lebanon as far as the Litani River. The resulting conflict led to the establishment of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)—a peacekeeping force meant to secure Israeli withdrawal and support the return of Lebanese authority in the south—as well as to the creation of the South Lebanese Army (SLA)—a militia led by Saad Haddad and armed and financed by Israel to function as a proxy militia under Lebanese Christian command.

24.04.2026 - 19:48 [ theConversation.com ]

Israel has invaded Lebanon six times in the past 50 years – a timeline of events

(October 1, 2024)

Israel has launched its sixth incursion into Lebanese territory since 1978. Here’s a timeline of how this seemingly unending conflict has evolved.

24.04.2026 - 19:11 [ Stanford University ]

Jun 1979 – Israeli Invasion of Southern Lebanon, March 1978 -Deployment of UN Peace-keeping Force -Israeli Withdrawal

(June, 1979)

Israel on the night of March 14–15, 1978, launched a major invasion of southern Lebanon with 20,000-25,000 ground troops backed by tanks, artillery, fighter planes and gunboats. The operation was mounted notwithstanding a number of diplomatic moves to forestall an anticipated reprisal attack in reply to the March 11 guerrilla raid on Israel and despite assurances by the Lebanese Government that it was in no way responsible for the Palestinian action[see above].

18.04.2026 - 19:50 [ Tagesschau.de ]

Angriff der Hisbollah vermutet: Französischer Blauhelmsoldat im Libanon getötet

(today)

UN-Soldaten beseitigten auf einer Straße im Süden Libanons Sprengsätze. Dabei gerieten sie unter Beschuss. Ein französischer Soldat wurde getötet. Frankreich vermutet die pro-iranische Hisbollah hinter dem Angriff.

18.04.2026 - 19:47 [ Time Magazine ]

The Renegade Militia Major

(May 16, 1983)

Haddad calls the territory “Free Lebanon.” To most people, however, the area is known as “Haddadland.” With Israeli backing, Haddad established the border enclave to thwart deployment of United Nations peace-keeping forces and regular Lebanese army units. Last February, he announced that he was extending his control over the entire 28-mile-wide zone that Israel has said is essential to its security.

18.04.2026 - 18:13 [ theConversation.com ]

IDF actions against UN peacekeepers suggest Israel may be considering occupying part of southern Lebanon

(October 15, 2024)

Since 1978, Unifil has lost 337 peacekeepers, making Lebanon the most costly, in human terms, of all the UN peacekeeping operations. But despite these risks it has remained in post. Throughout Unifil’s deployment, IDF has put it under pressure both directly and through a proxy force, the South Lebanon Army (SLA). As such Unifil has a strong institutional memory of staying put in the direst of circumstances which makes it unlikely to recommend a drawdown.

18.04.2026 - 17:49 [ LBCI Lebanon ]

Hezbollah denies involvement in deadly attack on UN peacekeepers

Hezbollah on Saturday denied it was involved in a deadly attack on United Nations peacekeepers (UNIFIL) in South Lebanon, after France accused the group of being behind the incident.

„Hezbollah denies any connection to the incident that occurred with UNIFIL forces in the Ghandouriyeh-Bint Jbeil area, and calls for caution in making judgments and assigning responsibilities regarding the incident pending the Lebanese Army‘s investigations to determine the full circumstances of the incident,“ the group said in a statement.

One peacekeeper was killed and three others wounded from the French battalion, with Paris blaming Hezbollah.

18.04.2026 - 17:40 [ Unifil.unmissions.org ]

UNIFIL statement (18 April 2026)

18 April 2026

This morning, a UNIFIL patrol clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah to re-establish links with isolated UNIFIL positions came under small-arms fire from non-state-actors. Tragically, one peacekeeper succumbed to his injuries and three others were injured, two of them seriously.

The injured peacekeepers have been taken to medical facilities for treatment.

We extend our most sincere condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the brave peacekeeper who lost his life in service of peace. Our thoughts and wishes go out for the full and speedy recovery of the injured peacekeepers.

UNIFIL condemns this deliberate attack on peacekeepers engaged in their mandated tasks. The work of explosive ordnance disposal teams is vital in the mission’s area of operations especially in the wake of the recent hostilities.

UNIFIL has launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident. Initial assessment indicates the fire came from non-state actors (allegedly Hizbullah).

We reiterate the obligations of all actors under international law and to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property at all times. Deliberate attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and of Security Council Resolution 1701, and may amount to war crimes.

UNIFIL calls on the Government of Lebanon to swiftly initiate an investigation to identify and hold the perpetrators accountable for the crimes committed against UNIFIL peacekeepers.

18.04.2026 - 17:36 [ Radio France Internationale ]

French soldier killed in Lebanon in attack on UN peacekeepers

Macron named the soldier as Florian Montorio, a staff sergeant in the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment of Montauban serving with Unifil, the United Nations‘ peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.

He was killed on Saturday morning in southern Lebanon, the president said in a post on X. The three soldiers wounded in the same attack were evacuated, he added.

„Everything suggests that Hezbollah is responsible for this attack,“ Macron said. „France demands that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest the perpetrators and assume their responsibilities alongside Unifil.“

But Hezbollah denied any connection to the attack. In a statement, the group urged „caution in making judgments and assigning responsibilities“ pending the results of an investigation by the Lebanese army.

14.04.2026 - 19:12 [ Government of the United Kingdom ]

Lebanon: Joint Foreign Ministers‘ Statement, 14 April 2026

We condemn in the strongest terms the attacks of Hezbollah against Israel which must cease immediately. We also condemn in the strongest terms the massive Israeli strikes on Lebanon conducted on 8 April which, according to the latest information shared by the Lebanese authorities, resulted in the death of more than 350 persons and wounded more than 1000. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law.

We also condemn in the strongest terms the attacks against UNIFIL and we reiterate that the safety and security of UN peacekeepers must be ensured at all times.

We express our full solidarity and our steadfast support for the Lebanese people and authorities. We stand ready to provide emergency assistance to the more than one million displaced persons in Lebanon, in coordination with the Lebanese government.

We reaffirm the importance of respecting for Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and for the full implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 (2006). We will continue to support the Lebanese state to exercise its full sovereignty over the whole Lebanese territory. In this context, we commend the decision of the Lebanese government to ban Hezbollah’s military activities, as well as its decision to reinforce the full imposition of state authority over Beirut and to have the sole monopoly on weapons, and we encourage full and swift implementation.

14.04.2026 - 18:57 [ Tagesschau.de ]

17 Staaten rufen Israel und Libanon zur Einigung auf

Neben Großbritannien und Frankreich sind die weiteren Unterzeichnerstaaten Australien, Belgien, Dänemark, Finnland, Griechenland, Island, Kroatien, Luxemburg, Malta, Norwegen, Portugal, Schweden, Slowenien, Spanien und Zypern.

In der Erklärung verurteilen die Außenminister auch „in den schärfsten Worten“ die Angriffe der pro-iranischen Miliz Hisbollah auf Israel sowie die „massiven israelischen Luftangriffe auf den Libanon am 8. April, bei denen nach den jüngsten von den libanesischen Behörden veröffentlichten Informationen mehr als 350 Menschen getötet und über 1000 verletzt wurden. In Washington sollen heute Verhandlungen zwischen Israel und dem Libanon beginnen.

12.04.2026 - 21:53 [ Middle East Eye ]

UN says Israeli tank rammed peacekeeper vehicles in south Lebanon

“Over the past week, Israeli soldiers have fired ‘warning shots’ in the area, striking and damaging clearly identifiable Unifil vehicles. In one case, a ‘warning shot’ landed a metre away from a peacekeeper who had dismounted his vehicle”.

The mission said Israeli troops have also obstructed its patrols, reporting that forces “have continually blocked peacekeepers’ movements on this road in recent days”.

It added, “since early April, Israeli soldiers have also destroyed force protection cameras in UNIFIL’s Naqoura headquarters and five other positions on the Blue Line from Ras Naqoura to Maroun ar Ras”.

Unifil said Israeli personnel further restricted visibility at its headquarters, noting that soldiers spray-painted the pedestrian gate windows on Saturday, “denying visibility to the external perimeter”.

10.04.2026 - 00:38 [ Permanent mission of France to the United Nations in New York ]

Safety and security of Peacekeepers

JOINT STATEMENT BY ALGERIA, ARMENIA, AUSTRALIA, AUSTRIA, BAHRAIN, BANGLADESH, BELGIUM, BRAZIL, BRUNEI, CAMBODIA, CANADA, CHINA, COLOMBIA, CROATIA, CYPRUS, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, DENMARK, EGYPT, EL SALVADOR, ESTONIA, FINLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, GHANA, GREECE, GUATEMALA, HUNGARY, INDONESIA, IRELAND, ITALY, JORDAN, LATVIA, LIBERIA, LUXEMBOURG, MALAYSIA, MALTA, MOLDOVA, MONGOLIA, MOROCCO, NEPAL, THE NETHERLANDS, NORTH MACEDONIA, PAKISTAN, PANAMA, THE PHILIPINES, POLAND, PORTUGAL, QATAR, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, ROMANIA, RUSSIA, SIERRA LEONE, SLOVAKIA, SLOVENIA, SPAIN, SRI LANKA, SWEDEN, TANZANIA, THAILAND, TIMOR LESTE, TURKEY, UNITED KINGDOM, URUGUAY, ZAMBIA AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

New York, 9 April 2026

We, the troop-contributing countries to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), joined by several other Member States and the European Union, express deep concern over the escalation of tension in Lebanon since 2 March 2026 and its impact on the safety and security of peacekeepers. We condemn in the strongest terms the persistent attacks against UNIFIL, including the latest grave attacks which cost the lives of three Indonesian peacekeepers and injured several other peacekeepers from France, Ghana, Indonesia, Nepal and Poland. We also firmly condemn the unacceptable aggressive behaviour towards UNIFIL personnel and leadership recently observed.

We recall that peacekeepers must never be the target of attack and that attacks on them are prohibited while they enjoy protection under international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and may constitute a war crime. The safety and security of UN peacekeepers is non-negotiable, and we urge the UN and the Security Council to exert all tools available at its disposal to strengthen the protection of UN peacekeepers in an increasingly dangerous environment.

We reaffirm our full support for UNIFIL and its mandate, as set out in relevant Security Council resolutions, and urge all parties, under all circumstances, to take all measures to ensure the safety and security of peacekeeping personnel and premises, in accordance with international law.

We call on the UN to continue investigating all attacks against peacekeepers in a prompt, transparent and comprehensive manner, and keep the relevant troop-contributing country informed of the progress, consistent with Security Council resolutions 2518 (2020) and 2589 (2021). Those responsible for these attacks must be held accountable.

We express deep concerns over the humanitarian situation in Lebanon, especially the significant civilian casualties, the extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure and the mass displacement of more than one million people.

We call on parties to urgently return to the cessation of hostilities arrangement of 2024 and respect the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006). We call for a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, de-escalation of tensions, and for all parties to return to the negotiating table. We reiterate our strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of Lebanon.

We pay tribute to the dedication and service of all United Nations peacekeepers who risk their lives in the cause of international peace and security and express our deep appreciation to all troop-contributing countries.

10.04.2026 - 00:32 [ Straits Times ]

Dozens of states condemn attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

While reaffirming their full support for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the countries urged the U.N. and its Security Council „to strengthen the protection of U.N. peacekeepers in an increasingly dangerous environment.“

The statement called on all parties to return to negotiations and reiterated „strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of Lebanon.“

Hadi said there were indications that more countries would sign the statement. Israel, Lebanon and the U.S. were not among those he read out.

04.04.2026 - 19:30 [ Middle East Eye ]

Israeli forces destroy UN peacekeeper cameras in south Lebanon

A UN security official said „17 of the headquarters‘ cameras have been destroyed by the Israeli army“ in Naqura within 24 hours. Unifil spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said „the cameras appear to have been destroyed by some kind of laser“.

She added that „(Israeli) soldiers are present in Naqura and have been undertaking massive demolitions of buildings in the village this week“.

01.04.2026 - 11:19 [ LBCI Lebanon ]

Indonesia calls for UN investigation into killing of peacekeepers in Lebanon

Speaking during an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council, Indonesia’s representative to the U.N., Omar Hadi, said: “We demand a direct investigation by the United Nations, not merely Israeli excuses.”

31.03.2026 - 07:56 [ Reuters ]

Three UN peacekeepers killed in Lebanon as Israeli strikes pummel south

March 29, 202610:39 PM GMTUpdated 2 hours ago

Three United Nations peacekeepers from Indonesia were killed in two separate incidents in southern Lebanon after a bloody weekend in which Lebanese ​journalists and medics were killed in Israeli strikes.

28.12.2025 - 10:59 [ United Nations ]

UN peacekeeper injured in gunfire near ‘Blue Line’ in south Lebanon

One United Nations peacekeeper was injured on Friday after heavy machine gunfire from Israel Defense Forces (IDF) positions south of the Blue Line, following a nearby grenade explosion, impacted close to a UN patrol in southern Lebanon.

(…)

“We reiterate our call to all actors…

02.11.2025 - 17:19 [ NNA-Leb.gov ]

Nabatieh reels from deadly Israeli attack: Four young men killed, three wounded

NNA – The city of Nabatieh and its surrounding areas awoke to the horror of a brutal attack carried out by Israeli forces, which resulted in the deaths of four local youths and injuries to three others. The victims were targeted last night while in a Range Rover on Doha-Kafarman road, on the eastern edge of Kafarman.

The city, which was preparing this Sunday afternoon to bury martyr Hassan Hamed Ghaith, a delivery worker killed in an Israeli strike on Shoukin road, was also set to mark the annual remembrance of its municipal massacre, in which 13 people, including Mayor Dr. Ahmed Kaheel, were killed during the 66-Day War.

02.11.2025 - 17:16 [ Al Jazeera ]

Israeli air strike kills four in Lebanon, straining fragile ceasefire

The state-run Lebanon News Agency reported that the strike, which involved a “guided missile”, targeted a car at about 2:15pm (16:15 GMT).

The attack came a day after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Israel of escalating strikes in response to his offer to negotiate a more lasting end to the cross-border attacks.

30.10.2025 - 15:52 [ LBCGroup.TV ]

Lebanese Army urges ceasefire committee to halt ongoing Israeli violations

(today, 10:47)

The Lebanese army has requested that the committee responsible for overseeing the ceasefire take action to stop ongoing Israeli violations and continues to monitor incidents in coordination with UNIFIL.

30.10.2025 - 15:38 [ Straits Times ]

Sleeping man killed in Israeli incursion into south Lebanon, Lebanese state media says

Israeli troops carried out an incursion into a southern Lebanese town overnight and killed a municipal employee who was sleeping in the local town hall, Lebanese state media said on Oct 30.

Israeli military confirmed the incident, saying that its forces had opened fire overnight during an operation to destroy the infrastructure of the militant group Hezbollah in the southern Lebanese town of Blida.

Lebanon’s army has deployed to the area but its media did not have further details to share. The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon did not immediately have further details on the incident.

23.10.2025 - 20:04 [ TurkishMinute.com ]

Turkey extends Iraq, Syria operations for 3 years, renews UN mission in Lebanon

UNIFIL, established by the United Nations in 1978, operates in southern Lebanon to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces, maintain peace and security along the Lebanon–Israel border and support the Lebanese government in extending its authority in the region. Turkey has contributed troops and naval units to the mission since 2006 as part of its broader commitment to UN peacekeeping operations.

15.10.2025 - 07:20 [ theGuardian.com ]

What issues are still to be resolved in the Gaza ceasefire deal?

“No one expects that the force would fight Hamas,” a western diplomat told the Financial Times. They argued that the mere presence of the force would make it harder for either side to resume the conflict even if it did “absolutely nothing”.

There are reasons for scepticism about whether the ISF could reliably prevent either side from acting, as illustrated by a recent grenade attack by an Israeli drone near UN peacekeepers in Lebanon. There may be wider lessons from that deployment. You might have a model similarly mandated to patrol and report on ceasefire violations. But in southern Lebanon, they have been pretty toothless.

03.09.2025 - 19:12 [ United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ]

UNIFIL statement on attack on peacekeepers clearing roadblocks (3 September 2025)

Yesterday morning, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) drones dropped four grenades close to UNIFIL peacekeepers working to clear roadblocks hindering access to a UN position close to the Blue Line.

This is one of the most serious attacks on UNIFIL personnel and assets since the cessation of hostilities agreement of last November.

One grenade impacted within 20 metres and three within approximately 100 metres of UN personnel and vehicles. The drones were observed returning south of the Blue Line.

The IDF had been informed in advance of UNIFIL’s road clearance work in the area, southeast of the village of Marwahin. Out of concern for the safety of peacekeepers following the incident, yesterday’s work was suspended.

Any actions endangering UN peacekeepers and assets, and interference with their mandated tasks are unacceptable and a serious violation of Resolution 1701 and international law. It is the responsibility of the IDF to ensure safety and security of the peacekeepers performing Security Council-mandated tasks.

31.03.2025 - 12:10 [ NNA-Leb.gov ]

Macron calls on Netanyahu to withdraw completely from Lebanese territory

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, urging Israel to stop its attacks on Gaza.

In the evening, Macron announced on social media platform X that he had spoken with Netanyahu, calling for an end to the strikes on Gaza to restore the ceasefire and enable the delivery of humanitarian aid.

31.03.2025 - 12:04 [ NNA-Leb.gov ]

Foot patrol of French UNIFIL contingent exposed to enemy fire in outskirts of Rmeish

(March 29, 2025)

NNA – Nabatieh – National News Agency correspondent reported that a foot patrol belonging to the French contingent operating within the reserve force of the UNIFIL Commander in the Qatmoun Valley, outside the town of Rmeish, was subjected to bursts of gunfire from an Israeli occupation forces‘ position while inspecting an earthen embankment made by the enemy in the area.