UNIFIL urges calm on Lebanese-Israeli border after injury of UN observers

BEIRUT — Spokesperson for a UN peacekeeping mission, Andrea Tenenti, has urged Lebanon and Israel to cease the ongoing heavy exchanges of fire on the border areas, after three members of the UN Observer Group Lebanon (OGL) and one Lebanese translator were injured in an explosion near the southern Lebanese village of Rmeish.

“The safety and security of UN personnel must be guaranteed. All actors have a responsibility under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of non-combatants, including peacekeepers, journalists, medical personnel, and civilians,” said Tenenti, spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in a post on Saturday on social media platform X.

The three military observers from the OGL, who provide support to UNIFIL in fulfilling its mandate, and the Lebanese translator were on a foot patrol earlier on Saturday along the Blue Line when an explosion occurred near their location, Xinhua news agency reported.

The injured people were evacuated for medical treatment, Tenenti said, adding, “We are investigating the origin of the explosion.”

Earlier reports from local media suggested that an Israeli strike had targeted the UN observers while they were in a vehicle near Rmeish.

However, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee denied such claims, saying that the Israeli army did not target any UN vehicle.