A serious clash took place in southern Lebanon between IDF forces and UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL).
This was reported by the Alexey Zheleznov Telegram channel.
Israeli sources say the conflict arose from Israel’s demand that peacekeepers withdraw five kilometers north of their positions along the Blue Line, the border between Israel and Lebanon.
This was necessary so that the IDF could carry out an operation to clear villages adjacent to the border of Hezbollah militant bases and ensure the safe return of residents of northern Israel to their homes. However, UNIFIL forces refused to comply with this demand, leading to an escalation of the situation.
The incident escalated after Israeli tanks were positioned near the peacekeepers’ post, which the peacekeepers believed put them in danger. In response to this, UNIFIL expressed its dissatisfaction with the actions of the Israeli army.
The situation was also complicated by tense relations between Israel and Ireland. UNIFIL is made up of 347 Irish soldiers, and a group of 30 Irish who were in the combat zone between the IDF and Hezbollah refused to abandon their positions despite the Israeli army’s demand for evacuation. The Irish government has formally notified Israel of its intention to keep its soldiers in place, stressing that it has no intention of evacuating them.
The conflict led to an exchange of harsh statements between the Israeli embassy in Dublin and Irish President Michael Higgins. He harshly criticized Israeli demands to evacuate Irish soldiers, calling them unacceptable. Higgins noted that the IDF’s actions represent a threat to peacekeepers and go against the UN mandate.
Cursor previously reported that the IDF was expanding its operations in southern Lebanon.
The IDF brought new forces to Lebanon and launched another operation.
