ALBAWABA — According to a statement from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, tensions rose in southern Lebanon on Sunday when an Israeli Merkava tank opened fire on a UNIFIL patrol that was working near an Israeli military base that had been built on Lebanese land.
UNIFIL called the event a "serious violation" of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. This showed that things are getting more unstable along the border, even though Israel and Hezbollah agreed to stop fighting last year.
UN: Protectors of peace got away after hiding
Peacekeepers on foot were hit by strong machine gun fire, UNIFIL said. The fire was only five meters away. The troops ran for cover right away because the Israeli tank kept firing at them.
The mission to keep the peace also said that it used its communication lines to ask the Israeli army to stop shooting right away. After about 30 minutes, the Israeli tank moved out of the way, making it safe for UNIFIL troops to leave the area. There were no reports of accidents. The mission said again that shooting at or targeting troops is not okay and asked Israel to stop all hostile actions along the Blue Line.
One of a string of recent violations
The violation is the latest in a long line of breaches that UNIFIL has been keeping track of. Israeli jets attacked the areas of Tyr Debba, Taybeh, and Aita al-Jabal on November 6, which was reported by the mission. These areas are in UNIFIL's operational zone.
UNIFIL said that the strikes were a "clear breach of Resolution 1701" and warned that large-scale military operations put civilian safety at risk and slow down diplomatic progress.
Stopping the fighting as pressure builds
The peace deal between Israel and Hezbollah started on November 27, 2024, and Israel was supposed to leave all the land it had taken in southern Lebanon by January 26, 2025.
But Israel hasn't finished pulling out its troops yet; it still has troops in five key spots inside Lebanon, saying that they need to "protect northern communities." Lebanon doesn't agree with this reason and says Israel is constantly breaking the law and being aggressive.
Concerns Around the World About a New Escalation
The shooting happened as people around the world are calling for peace because they are afraid that the fragile ceasefire could fall apart, especially since airstrikes and random fights along the border are still going on.
People who watch the situation warn that if things don't calm down quickly, Israel and Hezbollah could start fighting again.
