Three drones 'likely from Hezbollah' crash near UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura

Three attack drones crashed Monday near the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in Naqoura, in the Sour district of southern Lebanon. The announcement was made by the deputy spokesperson for the U.N. secretary-general and quickly reported by Lebanese media.

Asked about the incident by L’Orient-Le Jour, Kandice Ardiel, spokesperson for UNIFIL, confirmed it. "Yesterday [Monday] afternoon, three drones, likely belonging to Hezbollah, crashed just a few meters from our Naqoura headquarters, near where Israeli forces are stationed. Fortunately, the U.N. facilities did not suffer any material damage and no peacekeepers were injured," she said.

The spokesperson added: "We once again call on all parties to avoid operating near the positions and personnel of the United Nations and to refrain from any actions that could endanger peacekeepers."

Ardiel noted that UNIFIL "has protested to Israeli forces about the presence and activities of their soldiers and the passage of their vehicles near our headquarters." "We have also protested to the Lebanese Armed Forces about the activities of non-official actors near our positions," she concluded, referring to Hezbollah.

UNIFIL has not been spared during this conflict, which began on March 2. Several peacekeepers, including Indonesians and French, have lost their lives. Currently, a significant part of southern Lebanon is under Israeli control, and the destruction in the villages is unprecedented.

UNIFIL’s mandate ends at the end of 2026, although its actual withdrawal will likely be completed in 2027.