France Directs UNIFIL to Neutralize Israeli Drone Amid Rising Tensions in Southern Lebanon
France ordered UNIFIL peacekeepers to shoot down an Israeli drone after it dropped a grenade near their patrols in southern Lebanon, prompting sharp condemnations from the UN and France against Israeli military actions.
- • France directed UNIFIL peacekeepers to shoot down an Israeli drone in Kafr Kila, southern Lebanon.
- • An Israeli drone dropped a grenade near a UNIFIL patrol, followed by Israeli tank fire at peacekeepers.
- • The UN and France condemned the Israeli attacks, citing previous targeting incidents against peacekeepers.
- • UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed formal protests are being lodged with the Israeli Defense Forces.
Key details
France has taken a decisive role in a recent security incident in southern Lebanon involving Israeli forces by directing UNIFIL peacekeepers to shoot down an Israeli reconnaissance drone. The incident took place in Kafr Kila, an area within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) operational zone, where French peacekeepers were directly involved. According to a diplomatic source cited by Le Figaro, France was responsible for the decision to neutralize the drone, which had reportedly dropped a grenade near a UNIFIL patrol.
The incident escalated further when an Israeli tank fired a shot at the peacekeepers in Kfar Kila. Both the United Nations and France have condemned these actions, emphasizing the danger posed to UN peacekeepers in the region. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric expressed serious concern over the targeting of peacekeepers by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), highlighting prior incidents involving lasers and warning shots directed at UNIFIL troops.
Dujarric noted that the UN is actively communicating with the IDF to lodge formal protests regarding the attacks, underscoring the delicate and volatile security situation on the Lebanese-Israeli border. This series of events has added to the complex dynamics of UNIFIL’s mandate to maintain peace and security in southern Lebanon amid heightened regional tensions.
France’s direct operational involvement in ordering the drone to be shot down marks a significant assertion of its role within UNIFIL and signals a firm stance against actions perceived as threatening peacekeepers. The joint condemnation from the UN and France reflects growing international concern over the pattern of Israeli military actions near UN patrols, which jeopardize the safety and effectiveness of the peacekeeping mission.