BEIRUT (Dispatches) -- Israeli drones dropped four grenades near UN peacekeepers clearing roadblocks in southern Lebanon, in what the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) described as one of the most serious attacks on its personnel since the November 2024 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.
The attack took place southeast of the village of Marwahin, with one grenade landing within 20 meters of UNIFIL troops. 
According to a statement released by the peacekeeping mission, Israeli forces were notified in advance of the road clearance operation, which aimed to ensure access to a UN position.
“Any actions endangering UN peacekeepers and assets, and interference with their mandated tasks are unacceptable and a serious violation of Resolution 1701 and international law,” UNIFIL said. 
The mission, established to monitor Israeli withdrawal and maintain calm after repeated incursions into Lebanese territory, has come under mounting pressure from Tel Aviv and Washington in recent months.
The Israeli attack comes just days after the UN Security Council voted to extend UNIFIL’s mandate until the end of 2026, with a phased withdrawal to follow in 2027. 
The move was met with quiet resistance from the United States and Israel, both of which have increasingly attacked the peacekeeping force for not countering Hezbollah’s influence in southern Lebanon.
However, observers note that UNIFIL’s mandate does not include disarming Hezbollah, and the group’s weapons are widely viewed across Lebanon as a critical deterrent against Israeli aggression. 
Despite near-daily Israeli airstrikes and repeated violations of Lebanese airspace and sovereignty, Hezbollah remains the only credible military force capable of confronting the occupation and preventing further Israeli incursions.
Lebanese officials have condemned Israel’s continued occupation of five positions in southern Lebanon, calling it a clear breach of the ceasefire terms.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, under growing US-Israeli pressure to push for Hezbollah’s disarmament, welcomed the extension of UNIFIL’s mandate but emphasized the need for Israel to withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory. 
Critics, however, question how Lebanese forces can assert control in the south while Israeli troops remain in place and escalate attacks.
As calls to disarm Hezbollah grow louder from Washington and Israel, many in Lebanon argue that such efforts ignore the core issue: Israel’s continued violations of Lebanese sovereignty. 
With UNIFIL’s future uncertain and Israeli provocations increasing, Hezbollah’s role as the frontline defense against occupation appears more entrenched than ever.