The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced on Sunday that one of its members was injured due to an Israeli drone dropping a bomb that exploded near its position in the south, marking the third such incident in a month and a half.

UNIFIL works with the Lebanese army to consolidate a ceasefire reached last November aimed at ending a military confrontation that lasted over a year between Israel and Hezbollah, which included a two-month open war.

UNIFIL said in a statement published Sunday, “Just before noon yesterday (Saturday), an Israeli drone dropped a bomb that exploded near a UNIFIL position in the town of Kfarkela, resulting in one peacekeeper sustaining minor injuries and receiving first aid.”

UNIFIL described Saturday’s incident as “another serious violation of Resolution 1701 and a worrying disregard for the safety of peacekeeping forces.”

Later, the Israeli army spokesperson in Arabic, Avichay Adraee, stated that the army acted to “repel suspects who tried to rebuild Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in Kfarkela by throwing a hand grenade.”

He added that UNIFIL reported through military liaison “an injury to one of its members due to the hand grenade,” clarifying that “an investigation was conducted and safety protocols were confirmed during raids near UNIFIL positions.”

Earlier this month, UNIFIL announced that Israeli drones dropped four bombs near its forces, while Israel emphasized that no deliberate fire targeted the force at that time.

UN Security Council Resolution 1701 ended a conflict that erupted in 2006 between Israel and Hezbollah and formed the basis of the ceasefire reached on November 27, 2024, between the two sides.

The 2024 agreement, brokered by the United States, stipulated Hezbollah’s withdrawal from the border and dismantling of its military infrastructure, the monopoly of weapons by official Lebanese forces, and Israel’s withdrawal from points it had penetrated during the conflict. However, Israel retained forces on five strategic heights and continues to carry out strikes it says target Hezbollah members and facilities.

UNIFIL called on the Israeli army “to stop all attacks on its soldiers or near them” while “working to enhance the stability that both Israel and Lebanon have committed to maintaining.”

UNIFIL has been deployed in Lebanon since 1978 and includes about 10,000 personnel from around 50 countries.

In August, the UN Security Council voted in favor of ending the UNIFIL mission in 2027.