The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on 18/3 an accidental shelling incident that occurred on 6/3. The incident, which resulted in injuries to Ghanaian peacekeepers at the al Qawzah base of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), followed an anti-tank missile attack by Hezbollah, which injured two IDF soldiers on duty.

An Israeli tank subsequently misidentified its target and opened fire on the UNIFIL base.

The IDF expressed regret over the incident, stating, "We regret the incident and have conveyed our apologies to Ghana and the UN."

UNIFIL forces at the scene of an explosion in southern Lebanon, 31/1. Photo: *AFP*

Preliminary investigations conducted by the UN indicated that an Israeli tank fired three artillery rounds, hitting the al Qawzah base. Reuters reported this on 17/3, citing Western military sources. UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel noted that this investigation is not yet complete. "Once finished, the results will be shared with the parties as is customary," Ardiel said.

The UNIFIL mission maintains a significant presence in southern Lebanon, deploying nearly 10,000 troops and personnel. Its mandate includes monitoring the situation and ensuring security along the Israel-Lebanon border. The mission is expected to conclude its operations by the end of 2026.

This incident occurred amid renewed hostilities. According to the IDF, Hezbollah forces in Lebanon began attacking Israel on 2/3 in retaliation for the death of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on 28/2. Hezbollah launched approximately 100 rockets daily and deployed over 100 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to attack targets in Israel.

These recent attacks followed a period of de-escalation, as a ceasefire agreement in 11/2024 had largely ended previous clashes between the IDF and Hezbollah.

Duc Trung (According to Times of Israel, Al Jazeera, AP)