Beirut, Lebanon – UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed serious concern over the recent clashes at the Lebanon-Israel border after an explosion injured three UN military observers and a Lebanese interpreter. The incident occurred as tensions escalated between the Israeli military and Hezbollah militants in the region.
The injured personnel, part of the UN Truce Supervision Organization (Untso), were on a routine patrol along the Blue Line, the border demarcated by the UN in 2000. The explosion, which remains under investigation, occurred near the observers’ location, prompting their evacuation for medical treatment.
Among the wounded was a Norwegian UN observer, who sustained minor injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment. The other injured individuals, from Australia and Chile, were reported to be in stable condition. The circumstances surrounding the attack are still unclear, with conflicting reports on whether it was caused by an Israeli drone strike.
UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti emphasized that the peacekeepers’ vehicle had clear UN markings and that the observers were unarmed at the time of the incident. Despite ongoing exchanges of fire in the area, investigations into the explosion’s origin are underway, with safety and security of UN personnel being a top priority.
In response to the incident, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric reiterated Guterres’ condemnation of the explosion and his grave concern over the escalating hostilities in the region. Guterres urged all parties to refrain from further violations of the 2006 cessation of hostilities and pursue a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati also denounced the incident, emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. UNIFIL, which was established in response to Israel’s 1978 invasion of southern Lebanon, plays a crucial role in overseeing security and stability in the area.
Following the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, the UN expanded UNIFIL’s mandate to deploy peacekeepers along the Israeli border, supporting the Lebanese military in extending its authority into the region. The recent incident highlights the fragile situation in the area and the ongoing challenges faced by peacekeeping missions in the region.