Beirut, May 13 (SANA) The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) expressed “mounting concern” today, Wednesday, over the increasing military activities of both Hezbollah and the Israeli military in close proximity to UN positions. According to a statement carried by the Lebanese National News Agency, the mission warned that the surge in drone warfare is directly endangering the lives of peacekeepers.
Escalation at the Naqoura headquarters
The statement detailed a series of dangerous incidents over the past week involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
On Monday three drones—believed to belong to Hezbollah—exploded just meters away from the UNIFIL General Headquarters in Naqoura, targeting an area where Israeli soldiers were suspected to be operating.
On Tuesday, an explosion in the same vicinity, a second drone suspected to belong to Hezbollah exploded inside the UNIFIL General Headquarters. While buildings sustained damage, no personnel were injured.
On Sunday a drone crashed in an open courtyard within the Naqoura base. UNIFIL noted that preliminary investigations indicate the drone was Iranian-made, suggesting it was launched by Hezbollah.
Fiber-optic drone incident
UNIFIL also reported a separate incident on May 5, where an armed drone guided by fiber optics—a technology associated with Hezbollah—landed on the roof of a UN building near al-Haniya. The drone failed to explode, preventing a potential catastrophe.
Official protests and neutrality
UNIFIL confirmed it has taken diplomatic action against both sides to safeguard its mission
The mission formally protested the presence and movements of Israeli soldiers and vehicles near UN headquarters, as well as to the Lebanese Armed Forces regarding the activities of “non-state actors” (Hezbollah) near its blue-helmet positions.
The statement emphasized that peacekeepers continue to provide “impartial reports” to the UN Security Council despite the high-risk environment.
The mandate under threat
Operating under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, UNIFIL has been stationed in southern Lebanon since 1978. The mission reiterated its urgent call to all parties to respect the “Blue Line” and avoid any activity near UN sites or personnel, stressing that such actions are a flagrant violation of international mandates.
H.H
