Several members of the Ghanaian contingent serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have been wounded after an Israeli strike hit their position in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese media.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA)reported that a UNIFIL site in the town of Qouzah in the Bint Jbeil district was struck on Friday by Israel.
The report said several Ghanaian peacekeepers were wounded, though the exact number was not immediately specified.
“Amidst heavy firing this evening, three peacekeepers were injured inside their base in… Qawzah” in southern Lebanon, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement.
“The most severely injured has been transferred to hospital in Beirut for treatment.”
Ghana’s military said that its UNIFIL battalion headquarters came under “two missile attacks”, adding that “two soldiers are critically injured, while one other has been traumatised”.
“The officers’ mess facility also got hit and has been burnt down completely.”
UNIFIL was established in 1978 following Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon.
Its mandate was significantly expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah under UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
More than 10,000 peacekeepers are currently deployed as part of the mission, tasked with monitoring the cessation of hostilities and assisting the Lebanese army in extending its authority south of the Litani River.
Aoun slams Israel
In a statement, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned “Israeli attacks on Lebanon”, adding that they had “even reached the point of a direct assault on UNIFIL”.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the “unacceptable attack” on UNIFIL after speaking with his Lebanese and Syrian counterparts.
“France is working with its partners to prevent the conflict from spreading further in the region,” Macron said on X, highlighting the “key stabilising role” played by the UN force.
The strike comes amid Israel’s expanding military invasion in Lebanon since Monday, following limited rocket fire by Hezbollah.
The escalation is also linked to broader regional tensions tied to the war waged by Israel and the United States against Iran.
Israel has killed more than 4,000 people and wounded around 17,000 during its aggression in Lebanon that began in October 2023 and escalated into a full-scale war in September 2024.
Despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah reached in November 2024, Israel has continued near-daily strikes that have left hundreds dead and wounded.
