UNIFIL reports rising concerns over drone activity near its positions in southern Lebanon

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said it is increasingly concerned about activities by Hezbollah members and Israeli soldiers near U.N. positions, including a rise in drone activity that has caused explosions inside and around its bases, putting peacekeepers at risk.

In a statement, UNIFIL said that on Monday, May 11, between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m., three drones believed to belong to Hezbollah exploded in an area where Israeli army soldiers were possibly present, just meters from UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura. It added that another drone exploded in the same area on Tuesday, May 12, at around 5:20 p.m.

The statement said that minutes later, another drone, also suspected to be linked to Hezbollah, exploded inside the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura. No one was injured, but some buildings were damaged.

In a separate incident on Sunday, May 10, at around 7:00 p.m., a drone crashed into an open area inside the Naqoura headquarters. No injuries were reported, and U.N. explosives experts later confirmed that the drone was not armed. An investigation is ongoing to determine its origin, but preliminary findings suggest it was Iranian-made, indicating it may have been launched by Hezbollah.

UNIFIL also reported that on Tuesday, May 5, an armed fiber-optic-guided drone, believed to belong to Hezbollah, fell on the roof of a UN site near Haniyeh. The drone did not explode and no injuries were reported.

The peacekeeping force reiterated its call for all parties to avoid operating near UN positions and personnel, and urged them to refrain from any actions that could endanger peacekeepers.

It said it has specifically protested the presence, movements and activities of the Israeli army near its headquarters, as well as raised concerns with the Lebanese Armed Forces regarding the activities of non-state actors near U.N. positions.

Despite the challenges, UNIFIL said its peacekeepers continue to provide impartial reports to the U.N. Security Council on developments in southern Lebanon.