From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Early indications show Israeli tank fire hit UN Lebanon base, source says
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleInitial findings by an internal UN inquiry suggest Israeli tank fire hit a UN position in southern Lebanon on March 6, wounding Ghanaian peacekeepers, according to a Western military source, underscoring the growing risks as Israeli operations expand.
The UN peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel – an area that is at the heart of clashes between Israeli troops and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.
The mission, which will be halted at the end of 2026, has been sporadically caught in the crosshairs of both Israel and Hezbollah over the last couple of years, but with Israel considering a broader ground operation, the risks could be greater in the coming weeks.
Lebanon was pulled into the war in the Middle East when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel that ignited a new Israeli offensive against the terror group.
According to the source, the preliminary conclusions led by UNIFIL’s Force Commander Reserve with support from explosive ordnance disposal specialists indicated that three strikes at the al-Qawzah base were direct hits from the main gun of an Israeli battle tank.
They were fired using 120-mm M339 HE-MP-T shells, the source says.
“Israeli involvement in the attack against UNIFIL is undeniable, given that these munitions are manufactured by Israel Military Industries (IMI),” the source says.
The findings of UNIFIL’s probe have not been previously reported. UNIFIL had said on March 6 that Ghanaian peacekeepers were wounded amid heavy firing and called the incident “unacceptable,” but did not say at the time who was responsible.
“That investigation is not yet complete. Once it is finalized, it will be shared with the parties, per usual practice,” says UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel.
“Nonetheless, we reiterate the obligation of all actors to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers and avoid harm to civilians. Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and a violation of resolution 1701.”
Israel’s military does not immediately respond to a request for comment. IMI could not immediately be reached for comment. Elbit Systems, a major Israeli defense contractor that owns IMI, also does not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Times of Israel Community.