UNIFIL patrol comes under fire in southern Lebanon

What the report says

UNIFIL said one of its patrols in southern Lebanon came under fire on Tuesday near Wadi Jilu in the Tyre district. According to the force, about a dozen rounds were fired at the patrol, but it did not identify who was responsible. The patrol returned fire and the shooting then stopped. UNIFIL said no one was injured and called for an investigation.

The incident adds to the uncertainty surrounding the UN peacekeeping mission, which has operated in Lebanon since 1978 as a buffer between Israel and Lebanon. The force has continued to work in an area marked by repeated conflict, including the latest hostilities involving Israel and Hezbollah. Al Jazeera reported that Israel still occupies parts of southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire and a US-brokered framework intended to see Israeli forces withdraw and the Lebanese army take over security tasks.

The report also comes as diplomacy continues over the future of UNIFIL. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said G7 ministers agreed on the need to avoid a security vacuum in Lebanon when the mission’s mandate ends in late 2026. He said there was support for moving toward a new security arrangement, although no breakthrough was announced. The UN Security Council voted last year to end the mandate on December 31, 2026, while Lebanese officials have urged that it be extended.