UN Peacekeepers Down Israeli Drone Amid Lebanon Tensions

Mon Oct 27 2025 21:04:55 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a rare move, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon shot down an Israeli drone operating near the border, escalating tensions between Israel and Lebanon amidst ongoing military activities.

The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, known as Unifil, reported the downing of an Israeli drone that was allegedly flying aggressively near Kfar Kila. While Unifil claims the drone posed a threat beyond its operations, the Israeli military argues it was conducting standard reconnaissance. The incident follows increased military activity and violations of ceasefire agreements in the region, further straining Israel-Lebanon relations. Diplomatic efforts are underway to stabilize the situation.

The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon says it shot down an Israeli drone that flew over a patrol operating in the south of the country on Sunday, in the latest incident involving the force and Israel's military.

Unifil said the drone was flying in an aggressive manner near the border town of Kfar Kila and that peacekeepers applied necessary defensive countermeasures.

The Israeli military, however, said the drone was carrying out routine intelligence-gathering activity.

An initial inquiry suggests that Unifil forces stationed nearby deliberately fired at the drone and downed it. The drone's activity did not pose a threat to Unifil forces, spokesman Lt Col Nadav Shoshani stated.

He explained that Israeli forces later dropped a grenade towards the area where the drone fell, emphasizing that no fire was directed at Unifil forces. The incident is being further reviewed through military coordination channels, he added.

Unifil responded that the grenade was dropped by another Israeli drone close to a patrol.

Moments later, an Israeli tank fired a shot towards the peacekeepers. Fortunately, no injury or damage was caused to the Unifil peacekeepers and assets, Unifil confirmed.

Despite a ceasefire that came into force in November 2024 that ended the war with the Lebanese movement Hezbollah, Israel has continued to fly drones over Lebanon and carry out air strikes to counter perceived threats.

The UN and the Lebanese government maintain that Israel's actions violate Lebanon's sovereignty and breach the ceasefire agreement.

Downing an Israeli drone is indeed a rare action by Unifil, which has been operating on Lebanon's southern border since 1978, with plans to withdraw starting at the end of 2026.

Prior to this, the last recorded incident of drone interception by Unifil occurred in October 2024 during heightened conflict along the border.

The latest flare-up follows ongoing tension along the Israel-Lebanon border despite a ceasefire reached last year.

Under the agreement, Israeli troops were to withdraw from southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah was to shift its forces north of the Litani River, which has faced strong opposition from the group.

Only the Lebanese army and Unifil are authorized to deploy armed personnel in the area south of the Litani, although Israeli forces have retained strategic positions, intensifying air strikes targeting Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure despite international and domestic pressure.

The upcoming week anticipates heightened diplomatic efforts aimed at strengthening the truce and consolidating state authority in southern Lebanon, with meetings involving US, French, and Lebanese officials set to take place.