UNIFIL post near Kfar Shouba comes under small-arms fire on border
UN peacekeepers reported that a position on the Lebanon-Israel Blue Line was hit by several rounds of small-arms fire, with no injuries recorded.
UNIFIL confirmed that its checkpoint near Kfar Shouba, situated on the Blue Line that marks the Lebanon-Israel frontier, was struck by several shots of small-arms fire on Wednesday morning. The force reported that the attack caused no injuries and that an inquiry is underway. This episode unfolds amid growing scrutiny of the peacekeeping mission, with the UN Security Council having agreed earlier this year to terminate UNIFIL’s mandate by December 31 under U.S. and Israeli pressure.
Established after Israel’s 1978 invasion, UNIFIL’s role has been extended repeatedly, especially after the 2006 war, to maintain a demilitarised buffer. Israel has repeatedly accused the mission of failing to curb Hezbollah threats, while Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned that withdrawing the force could create a security vacuum. The mission currently fields about 7,500 troops from roughly 50 nations in southern Lebanon.
Why it matters
The attack highlights the fragile security situation on the Lebanon-Israel border as the UN peacekeeping mission faces a looming deadline.
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