King Felipe VI of Spain headed Wednesday, on board an international helicopter to Marjeyoun to visit the UNIFIL’s Spanish battalion, accompanied by Lebanese Defense Minister Samir Moqbel.
Felipe arrived at the Spanish peacekeeping force’s headquarters to pay tribute to Cpl. Francisco Javier Soria Toledo, who was killed Jan. 28 by an Israeli shell that hit his post near the border village of Ghajar.
The attack was considered the worst since the 2006 July war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Major-General Luciano Portolano, Force Commander and Head of Mission of the United Nations Interim Forces In Lebanon and UNIFIL Sector East Commander Brigadier-General Antonio Ruiz, welcomed the king in Marjeyoun.
Felipe arrived Tuesday to Lebanon on his first visit since he took the throne last June. His visit comes in the wake of a joint Spanish-Israeli investigation into the corporal’s death.