From the Liveblog of
Saturday, April 18, 2026
UNIFIL blames ‘non-state actors,’ code for Hezbollah, over attack that killed French soldier
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon blames “non-state actors,” code for the Iran-backed Hezbollah, for a deadly attack on its observers in southern Lebanon today.
“This morning, a UNIFIL patrol clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah to re-establish links with isolated UNIFIL positions came under small-arms fire from non-state actors. Tragically, one peacekeeper succumbed to his injuries and three others were injured, two of them seriously,” the observer force says in a statement.
French President Emmanuel Macron said that the attack killed a French soldier, and that it was apparently carried out by Hezbollah.
UNIFIL says it “condemns this deliberate attack on peacekeepers engaged in their mandated tasks. The work of explosive ordnance disposal teams is vital in the mission’s area of operations especially in the wake of the recent hostilities.”
The observer force says it has launched an investigation “to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.”
It adds that an “initial assessment indicates the fire came from non-state actors (allegedly Hizbullah).”
This morning, a UNIFIL patrol clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah to re-establish links with isolated UNIFIL positions came under small-arms fire from non-state-actors.
— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) April 18, 2026
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