A convoy of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was violently attacked while transporting peacekeepers to Beirut airport, resulting in injuries to its outgoing deputy commander.
Protesters, angered by Lebanon’s decision to bar two Iranian planes from landing, have been blocking the airport road. Videos show UN vehicles being set on fire and peacekeepers assaulted by individuals carrying yellow flags.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and the army condemned the attack, vowing to arrest those responsible. UNIFIL denounced the assault as a violation of international law, potentially constituting a war crime. The Lebanese Interior Minister called for a security meeting in response.
The unrest stems from accusations by Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) that Iran’s Quds Force has been using flights to smuggle funds to Hezbollah. Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal movement, condemned the attack but also framed it as harmful to Lebanon’s stability. UNIFIL, originally established after the 2006 Lebanon War, continues to operate in the region despite rising tensions.
