UNIFIL soldiers patrolling the road near the border with Israel, in the coastal town of Naqoura in southern Lebanon, on March 19, 2025. (Credit: Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP)
The entry Thursday of a patrol from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) into the village of Kfar Hammam in the Marjayoun district, without prior coordination with the Lebanese Army, caused a misunderstanding between the two parties. The information was first reported by Hezbollah's Al-Manar channel and Al-Mayadeen, which is close to the party.
According to Al-Manar, the Lebanese Army immediately contacted the UNIFIL command to express its dissatisfaction, reproaching Finnish contingent soldiers for entering the village without stopping at a Lebanese military checkpoint, thus acting "outside the framework of coordination and respect for the established rules."
Asked on Friday by L'Orient-Le Jour, UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti stated that "the problem is resolved." He denied any negligence on the part of the Finnish battalion and specified that "the Blue Helmets acted in accordance with UN Resolution 1701." Tenenti recalled that "UNIFIL can conduct independent activities within its area of operations."
U.N. Resolution 1701 — which ended the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel and serves as the framework for the cease-fire agreement between Lebanon and Israel that came into effect on Nov. 27, 2024 after 13 months of conflict — significantly increased UNIFIL's role, which has been present in southern Lebanon since 1978 to maintain peace at the border with Israel, and clarified the scope of its action. Article 12 mentions that the "Lebanese government ... authorizes UNIFIL to take all necessary measures in the sectors where its forces are deployed."
Coordination with the army 'paramount'
"It is also important to emphasize that coordination with the Lebanese Army is paramount, essential and ongoing," Tenenti insisted. "At the same time, freedom of movement must be guaranteed by the parties," he added, concluding that "peacekeepers will continue to work in coordination with the army through joint activities and independently, in accordance with Resolution 1701."
The spokesperson for the Lebanese Army, General Elie Mezher, stated that he had "no information" about this incident, noting that UNIFIL usually conducts independent or joint patrols with the Lebanese Army in southern Lebanon, and that the former are typically carried out according to a "specific schedule" and by informing the army.
This misunderstanding comes at a time when some sources claim that the mission of the Blue Helmets could be threatened by the intransigence of U.S. President Donald Trump, who might demand that UNIFIL's mandate be placed under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter (which allows it to use force "to maintain or restore international peace and security"), which Lebanon refuses.
Incidents between UNIFIL and Hezbollah, or villagers in areas loyal to the party, are often reported, but those between the Blue Helmets and the Lebanese Army are rarer.
