An Israeli drone was reportedly shot down by French peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) after allegedly displaying "aggressive behavior" near their position in Kfar Kila (Marjeyoun), southern Lebanon.
Despite deploying thousands of soldiers along the so-called Blue Line for decades, UNIFIL has been widely criticized for failing to counter the growing presence of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon © UNIFIL
An Israeli drone was reportedly shot down by French peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) after allegedly displaying "aggressive behavior" near their position in Kfar Kila (Marjeyoun), southern Lebanon.
A UNIFIL spokesperson confirmed to Lebanese daily L'Orient-Le Jour that the incident occurred during routine patrol operations. According to the mission, the drone posed a threat to peacekeepers and was neutralized as a "countermeasure." However, UNIFIL did not specify which battalion within the force carried out the action.
The Israeli army has not commented on the incident. Historically, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have not demonstrated hostility toward UN peacekeepers in the region. In contrast, this response from UNIFIL may be perceived by some observers as unusually aggressive.
The incident raises fresh questions about the effectiveness and neutrality of the international force, especially as it nears the end of its mandate.
Despite deploying thousands of soldiers along the so-called Blue Line for decades, UNIFIL has been widely criticized for failing to counter the growing presence of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, particularly since the early 2000s.
UNIFIL’s current mandate is set to expire next year, and its future remains uncertain amid escalating regional tensions and shifting diplomatic priorities.
Naim Qassem took to the podium Friday for the Ashura commemorations and delivered precisely the speech the world expected, word for word, beat for beat, with all the spontaneity of a hostage reading from a script prepared in Tehran.
Lebanon's Foreign Ministry on Friday welcomed the joint declaration issued Thursday following the ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the United States, describing it as a significant endorsement of Beirut's sovereign diplomatic path.
Israel's former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, who lost a son in Gaza and boasts of his "Dahiyeh doctrine" of smashing foes with disproportionate force, is surging in polls and could oust Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister in a coming election.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.
