France was responsible for deciding to shoot down an Israeli drone in Kafr Kila on Sunday, a diplomatic source told Le Figaro. The outlet also reported that the UNIFIL peacekeepers were French.
France was responsible for the decision to shoot down an Israeli drone in Kafr Kila, southern Lebanon, on Sunday, a diplomatic source told French outlet Le Figaro on Monday.
The UNIFIL peacekeepers involved in the incident were from the French military, Le Figaro noted, while commenting that it is rare for peacekeepers to shoot down an Israeli drone.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) claimed that the Israeli drone came close to a UNIFIL patrol and “dropped a grenade,” followed by an Israeli tank which “fired a shot” towards UNIFIL peacekeepers.
UNIFIL also claimed that this followed a similar incident earlier on Sunday in the same location where “an Israeli drone flew over the UNIFIL patrol in an aggressive manner.”
A UN vehicle drives, during a Reuters’ visit at Camp Shamrock where Irish and Polish peacekeepers of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) are stationed near Maroun al-Ras village close to the Lebanese-Israeli border, in southern Lebanon November 29, 2023. (credit: AZIZ TAHER/REUTERS)
UNIFIL asserted that the events violated UN Security Council Resolution 1701, as well as Lebanon’s sovereignty.
IDF disputes UNIFIL’s report of events
However, the IDF disputed this report of events.
IDF Arabic Spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee clarified that the original drone was shot down during a routine information-gathering and reconnaissance mission.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that UNIFIL forces, which were present near the location, deliberately fired at the drone despite it posing no threat to them,” Adraee explained.
“After the drone was shot down, IDF soldiers threw a hand grenade at the area where the drone was downed,” he added, while confirming that no fire was directed towards UNIFIL peacekeepers, and that the incident will be investigated via military liaison channels.