A French peacekeeper serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was killed and three others wounded in a targeted attack in southern Lebanon, officials confirmed on Saturday. The incident occurred as the patrol was clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah to reconnect isolated UN positions.
French President Emmanuel Macron directly blamed Hezbollah for what he called a "deliberate attack," stating, "Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah." He demanded that Lebanese authorities immediately arrest the perpetrators and uphold their responsibilities alongside UNIFIL.
Hezbollah swiftly denied involvement, calling the accusations "rushed" and "baseless" in a statement. The group urged caution in assigning blame pending the Lebanese army's investigation and called for continued coordination between UNIFIL, the Lebanese military, and local communities during what it described as "delicate circumstances."
French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin provided harrowing details of the ambush, explaining that the peacekeeper was part of a mission to reopen access to a UNIFIL position when the patrol was "ambushed by an armed group at very close range." She added that the soldier was "hit immediately by a direct shot from a small arms weapon" and was pulled away by fellow soldiers who were unable to revive him.
UNIFIL condemned the attack as "deliberate" and confirmed that two of the three wounded peacekeepers sustained serious injuries. The peacekeeping force emphasized that under international law, "all actors" must ensure the safety of UN personnel, noting that "deliberate attacks" on peacekeepers constitute "grave violations" of international humanitarian law that could amount to war crimes.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in southern Lebanon, where peacekeepers have faced growing risks since renewed fighting between Hezbollah and Israel erupted on March 2. A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect on April 16, with the United States urging Hezbollah to abide by its terms.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack during a phone call with Macron, assuring that those responsible would be brought to justice. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has ordered an investigation into the incident, while the Lebanese Armed Forces stated they were coordinating closely with UNIFIL during what they described as a "sensitive phase" in southern Lebanon.
This tragedy marks the latest in a series of attacks on UN peacekeepers in the region. In late March, three Indonesian peacekeepers were killed in separate incidents—one in an explosion that destroyed a UNIFIL vehicle and another in a projectile strike.
UNIFIL was first established in 1978 following Israel's invasion of southern Lebanon and saw its mandate expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. The force, which works to monitor the ceasefire along the Blue Line—the de facto border between Lebanon and Israel—has lost more than 330 peacekeepers since its inception.