Israeli tanks enter peacekeeping base, says UN
The UN mission in Lebanon has reported that the IDF “destroyed” the main gate of one of its facilities. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The incident occurred following Israel's directive for UNIFIL troops to exit southern Lebanon.
On Sunday, two tanks from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were reported to have destroyed the main gate of a UN peacekeeping base and entered the facility without authorization, according to UNIFIL's mission in Lebanon. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had issued a warning regarding the potential danger to UN troops if they remained in the region.
The event unfolded at a UN Interim Force in Lebanon base in Ramyah, located near the Israel-Lebanon border, during the early hours of Sunday. UNIFIL's statement detailed that “At around 4:30 a.m., while peacekeepers were in shelters, two IDF Merkava tanks destroyed the position’s main gate and forcibly entered the position.” It continued, “They requested multiple times that the base turn out its lights. The tanks left about 45 minutes later after UNIFIL protested through our liaison mechanism, saying that IDF presence was putting peacekeepers in danger.”
After the tanks departed, several rounds were fired approximately 100 meters north of the base. The projectiles produced irritating smoke that drifted into the camp, prompting 15 peacekeepers to experience “skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions,” despite wearing protective masks, as stated by UNIFIL.
In a statement issued Sunday night, the IDF explained that the tanks had inadvertently backed into the base while evacuating two wounded Israeli soldiers, and that a smokescreen was subsequently deployed to facilitate their escape.
Established in 1978, UNIFIL was intended to supervise the withdrawal of Israeli forces below the ‘blue line’, which delineates the border between Lebanon and Israel, as well as the occupied Golan Heights. Based in Naqoura, UNIFIL comprises around 10,000 troops from approximately 50 countries, with responsibilities including ensuring that neither Israel nor Hezbollah maintains military presence between the blue line and the Litani River.
Israel contends that UNIFIL has failed to prevent Hezbollah from consolidating its position in that area while inhibiting its own forces from addressing the associated threats.
IDF troops entered southern Lebanon late last month, marking a significant escalation in Israel's conflict with the Lebanese paramilitary group. In the following weeks, UNIFIL has accused the IDF of repeatedly targeting its bases and outposts, with five peacekeepers reported injured, four of whom were allegedly struck by Israeli fire, as noted in UN mission statements.
In the wake of the Ramyah incident, UNIFIL reminded Israel that “breaching and entering a UN position is a further flagrant violation of international law and Security Council resolution 1701.” This resolution, which concluded the 2006 Lebanon War, specifies that only UNIFIL troops and the regular Lebanese military are authorized to operate between the blue line and the Litani River.
In a video message shared on social media on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to withdraw UNIFIL troops from southern Lebanon, accusing them of “providing a human shield to Hezbollah terrorists.” He further stated that the lives of UN troops would be “endangered” should they choose to remain.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
On Sunday, two tanks from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were reported to have destroyed the main gate of a UN peacekeeping base and entered the facility without authorization, according to UNIFIL's mission in Lebanon. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had issued a warning regarding the potential danger to UN troops if they remained in the region.
The event unfolded at a UN Interim Force in Lebanon base in Ramyah, located near the Israel-Lebanon border, during the early hours of Sunday. UNIFIL's statement detailed that “At around 4:30 a.m., while peacekeepers were in shelters, two IDF Merkava tanks destroyed the position’s main gate and forcibly entered the position.” It continued, “They requested multiple times that the base turn out its lights. The tanks left about 45 minutes later after UNIFIL protested through our liaison mechanism, saying that IDF presence was putting peacekeepers in danger.”
After the tanks departed, several rounds were fired approximately 100 meters north of the base. The projectiles produced irritating smoke that drifted into the camp, prompting 15 peacekeepers to experience “skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions,” despite wearing protective masks, as stated by UNIFIL.
In a statement issued Sunday night, the IDF explained that the tanks had inadvertently backed into the base while evacuating two wounded Israeli soldiers, and that a smokescreen was subsequently deployed to facilitate their escape.
Established in 1978, UNIFIL was intended to supervise the withdrawal of Israeli forces below the ‘blue line’, which delineates the border between Lebanon and Israel, as well as the occupied Golan Heights. Based in Naqoura, UNIFIL comprises around 10,000 troops from approximately 50 countries, with responsibilities including ensuring that neither Israel nor Hezbollah maintains military presence between the blue line and the Litani River.
Israel contends that UNIFIL has failed to prevent Hezbollah from consolidating its position in that area while inhibiting its own forces from addressing the associated threats.
IDF troops entered southern Lebanon late last month, marking a significant escalation in Israel's conflict with the Lebanese paramilitary group. In the following weeks, UNIFIL has accused the IDF of repeatedly targeting its bases and outposts, with five peacekeepers reported injured, four of whom were allegedly struck by Israeli fire, as noted in UN mission statements.
In the wake of the Ramyah incident, UNIFIL reminded Israel that “breaching and entering a UN position is a further flagrant violation of international law and Security Council resolution 1701.” This resolution, which concluded the 2006 Lebanon War, specifies that only UNIFIL troops and the regular Lebanese military are authorized to operate between the blue line and the Litani River.
In a video message shared on social media on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to withdraw UNIFIL troops from southern Lebanon, accusing them of “providing a human shield to Hezbollah terrorists.” He further stated that the lives of UN troops would be “endangered” should they choose to remain.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
