Published on: 2026-06-04
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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Representatives of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) stated that early Thursday morning a peacekeeping contingent serviceman was killed. This occurred as a result of a mortar shelling of the positions of the blue helmets near the city of Marjayoun in the southeast of the country.
Two more peacekeepers were injured in the immediate aftermath of this incident. They are currently undergoing treatment at the UNDOF medical facility.
The mission command stated that an investigation is currently underway “to establish the exact circumstances that led to this tragic incident.” “The violence must stop,” the UNMISS statement said.
Activation of hostilities
It is not yet clear from where exactly the shelling came, but this incident occurred against the backdrop of intensified reciprocal strikes between the Israeli military in southern Lebanon and fighters of the “Hezbollah” group, which is not part of the regular Lebanese army.
“Deliberate attacks on peacekeepers constitute a gross violation of international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolution 1701, and may also be equated with war crimes,” the UN mission emphasized.
The Serbian authorities confirmed that the deceased peacekeeper was a citizen of this country. He was given emergency medical care immediately after the incident, after which he was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Beirut, where he later died.
Since the beginning of combat operations on March 2 in Lebanon, seven UN peacekeepers have already been killed.
“We express our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the peacekeeper who gave his life in the name of peace,” reads the statement from the UN Department of Peace Operations. “We also hope for the full and speedy recovery of the wounded servicemen.”
The mission noted an escalation of hostilities in southern Lebanon. The outbreak of violence occurred on March 2, when Hezbollah militants opened fire on northern Israel – shortly after Israeli-American bombings of Iran began at the end of February.
On Wednesday, Israel and Lebanon agreed to renew the ceasefire regime. The new agreement on the truce, which does not apply to Hezbollah, as reported, envisages the creation of a “pilot zones,” control over which will be taken by the Lebanese army.
Life in a constant stream
As of today, more than a million people in Lebanon have been forced to leave their homes due to violence. The country’s population lives in constant fear. UNICEF reports that families in the southern part of Beirut are afraid to stay in their homes because of the threat of airstrikes.
“Most of them come during the day to check their homes, and leave at night,” UN News Service representative Younisef Kristof Bullerak reported.
On Monday, thousands of cars lined up in a queue to leave the southern suburbs of the capital following warnings of an impending strike by Israel on Hezbollah targets.
“Only in Beirut, about 200 thousand people left the southern suburbs after the evacuation order issued by the Israel Defense Forces on June 1,” UN press secretary Stephane Dujarric reported on Wednesday.
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