UNIFIL position near Lebanon-Israel Blue Line hit by small-arms fire, no one hurt
In short
A position of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) near the Blue Line, the provisional boundary between Lebanon and Israel, came under several rounds of light-weapons fire on the morning of October 7, the force said in a statement. Most bullets hit the position's outer wall and some struck living quarters and vehicles inside the base; no one was hurt. UNIFIL has opened an investigation.
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The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement on October 7 that one of its positions near the Blue Line, the provisional boundary between Lebanon and Israel, came under several rounds of light-weapons fire that morning. No one was hurt, according to the statement as reported by CCTV and carried by Yicai and Jiemian, and by China News Service, which compiled reports from AFP and Al Jazeera. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
According to CCTV's report, the position is near Shuba (舒巴) village. China News Service, citing the statement, said the shots were fired by unidentified people. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The peacekeepers at the position took shelter after the first round of shooting. Most of the bullets struck the outer wall of the position, while some hit living quarters and vehicles inside the base, the statement said. UNIFIL has opened an investigation into the incident. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The statement called attacks on UNIFIL positions "unacceptable" and said any attack on UNIFIL peacekeepers seriously violates international humanitarian law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and may constitute a war crime, CCTV reported. China News Service reported the statement as saying the attack seriously endangered the peacekeepers' lives. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
China News Service, citing Al Jazeera, said UNIFIL currently has 7,500 peacekeepers from about 50 countries stationed in southern Lebanon. Since a new round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out in October 2023, the Israeli government has accused the force of failing to deal with the threat posed by Hezbollah and has kept pushing to end its mission, Al Jazeera said, according to China News Service. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
UNIFIL said attacks on its peacekeepers seriously violate international humanitarian law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and may constitute war crimes, according to CCTV's report of the statement. China News Service, citing Al Jazeera, noted that the Israeli government has been pushing to end the mission of the force, which has 7,500 peacekeepers from about 50 countries in southern Lebanon.
Key facts
- UNIFIL said one of its positions near the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel came under several rounds of light-weapons fire on the morning of October 7. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The attack caused no casualties. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Peacekeepers at the position took shelter after the first round of shooting. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Most bullets hit the position's outer wall; some hit living quarters and vehicles inside the base. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- UNIFIL has opened an investigation. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- According to CCTV's report, the position is near Shuba (舒巴) village. [ 1 , 2 ]
- UNIFIL called attacks on its positions "unacceptable" and said attacks on its peacekeepers may constitute war crimes, CCTV reported. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Al Jazeera, cited by China News Service, said UNIFIL has 7,500 peacekeepers from about 50 countries stationed in southern Lebanon. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A UNIFIL position near the Lebanon-Israel Blue Line came under several rounds of light-weapons fire on the morning of October 7. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- No one was hurt; peacekeepers took shelter after the first round of shooting. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Most bullets hit the outer wall, and some struck living quarters and vehicles inside the base. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- UNIFIL has opened an investigation. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Who fired on the position. China News Service says only that unidentified people fired; no report names the shooters.
- The exact location of the position. Only the CCTV report carried by Yicai and Jiemian names Shuba (舒巴) village; China News Service gives no village.
- The exact time of the shooting. The reports say only that it happened in the morning of October 7.
- The outcome of UNIFIL's investigation. The investigation has only been opened.
- Israel's push to end the UNIFIL mission. This comes from Al Jazeera as cited by China News Service alone.