UNIFIL says Israeli grenade endangered Lebanon peacekeepers; IDF claims it acted ‘as required’

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon says an IDF drone dropped a grenade near its peacekeepers during a patrol in southern Lebanon yesterday.

In a statement, UNIFIL says peacekeepers on a planned patrol near the town of Odaisseh along the Israel-Lebanon border were warned by locals of a potential danger at a home and discovered an explosive device connected to a detonating cord.

After establishing a security cordon and preparing to check another house, a drone that had been hovering overhead dropped a grenade some 30 meters from the peacekeepers, UNIFIL says, prompting a request to halt fire.

UNIFIL adds that no one was injured.

The force accuses Israel of endangering peacekeepers and violating UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

In response, the IDF says that it had identified several suspects near a structure being used for “terrorist purposes” by Hezbollah and directed a drone to locate them and prevent threats to troops in the area.

After determining the individuals were UNIFIL personnel, the military says the drone was redirected, and the munition was dropped “as required” in an open area roughly 370 meters away from the UN force, contradicting UNIFIL’s account.