UNIFIL reports ‘deliberate’ Israeli attacks, civilians stranded in Lebanon war zone

“We’ve been targeted several times, five times under deliberate attack,” said UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti via video link from Beirut. “I think the role of UNIFIL at the moment is more important than ever. We need to be here.”

Israel has accused UN forces of acting as a “human shield” for Hezbollah fighters and urged UNIFIL to evacuate peacekeepers from southern Lebanon for their safety — a request that has been refused.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied claims that the force had been intentionally targeted. However, Tenenti challenged this, explaining that in one incident, Israeli forces had entered a UNIFIL site and remained there for 45 minutes.

When asked if UNIFIL would consider defending itself against Israel, Tenenti said it was an option, but the focus at present was on reducing tensions.

Tenenti also expressed concerns about civilians still in southern Lebanon, noting that aid workers were struggling to reach them due to continued Israeli shelling. “The devastation and destruction of many villages along the Blue Line, and even beyond, is shocking,” he said, referring to the UN-mapped line separating Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Regarding the downing of a drone near a UNIFIL ship off the Lebanese coast on Thursday, he said: “The drone was coming from the south, circling around the ship and getting very, very close, just a few metres away from the ship.” An investigation is currently underway.

Tenenti also mentioned a previous investigation from several months ago, which had detected “a trace of the possible use of white phosphorus” by the Israeli army near a UNIFIL base. The UN Security Council has been informed of the case, he added.

White phosphorus munitions are not banned as chemical weapons and are typically used to create smoke screens, mark targets, or burn structures. However, due to their potential to cause serious burns and ignite fires, international conventions prohibit their use against military targets located among civilian populations. Israel’s military has previously stated in response to Reuters queries that its primary smoke shells do not contain white phosphorus, but those that do are used for creating smoke screens. The military insisted that it “uses only lawful means of warfare.”

(With Inputs from Reuters)