War in the Middle East: French soldiers of the Finul targeted by the Israeli army in Lebanon

Three incidents involving French soldiers, targeted by the Israeli army, occurred on Saturday, March 28, without causing any injuries. Paris denounced the “unacceptable” acts and brought the issue to the attention of the UN Security Council.

Three incidents involved French soldiers belonging to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Saturday, March 28, without causing any injuries, according to BFMTV.

On Saturday morning near Naqoura, Israeli soldiers pointed their weapons at the chief of staff of UNIFIL, General Paul Sanzey, and his assistant as they were returning from a trip to Beirut. They were ordered to turn back before finally being allowed to continue to Naqoura.

Later in the afternoon, a UNIFIL logistical convoy engaged in a resupply mission, which included French soldiers, was fired upon by the Israeli army. A few hours later, in the late afternoon, the commander of the Force Commander Reserve, a rapid reaction unit under the direct authority of UNIFIL command and consisting of a Franco-Finnish battalion, was also targeted by Israeli tank fire.

The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, criticized these “serious incidents” affecting the French contingent deployed within the UN force. He described these acts as “unacceptable and unjustifiable,” stating that they jeopardized the security of UN personnel even though the on-site coordination procedures, according to him, had been followed.

These incidents occurred as last Sunday, three Indonesian peacekeepers lost their lives in southern Lebanon. Two of them were killed in the explosion of their vehicle near Bani Hayyan, under unclear circumstances. A third peacekeeper was fatally wounded on Sunday by the explosion of a projectile in the border area between Lebanon and Israel.

France called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday. It will take place on Tuesday, March 31, in the early afternoon. Since Hezbollah’s entry into the war in support of Iran, Lebanese authorities have recorded over 1,200 deaths and 3,600 injuries in Israeli airstrikes.