IDF says warning shots at 'suspects' UN peacekeepers were unintentional, blames 'poor weather'

Israel has denied deliberately firing on UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, saying its troops mistook them for “suspicion” due to poor weather conditions.

Israel’s military said Sunday that its troops did not intentionally fire on U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, adding that the troops were deemed “suspicious” during poor weather conditions.

“After review, it was determined that the suspects were UN soldiers who were patrolling the area and were classified as suspects due to poor weather conditions,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement. “No bullets were intentionally fired towards UNIFIL troops,” it added.

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The IDF said that troops in the al-Hamames area initially spotted “two suspects” and fired warning shots, forcing them to retreat. A later review confirmed that the men were UN peacekeepers.

“The IDF emphasizes that there was no intentional firing towards UNIFIL soldiers and that the matter is being handled through official contact channels,” the statement said. The statement said the operation would continue to “eliminate any threat” to Israel.

Earlier, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Israeli troops fired from Merkava tanks near an Israeli checkpoint, hitting heavy machine gun bullets about five meters away from the peacekeepers on foot. The peacekeepers secretly contacted the Israeli army through communication channels to stop the firing. They withdrew to safety after about 30 minutes, when the tanks withdrew. There is no report of anyone being injured.

UNIFIL described the incident as a “grave violation” of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and urged the IDF to “cease any aggressive behavior and attacks on or near peacekeepers”, stressing that UN personnel are working to stabilize the area.

UNIFIL positions have been attacked several times since the cross-border conflict began following the Gaza war in October 2023. Despite the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel has continued limited strikes into Lebanon, citing threats from Hezbollah, and maintaining the status quo beyond the February 18 withdrawal deadline.