An Israeli drone attack near a military checkpoint in the southern Lebanese city of Sidon injured five U.N. peacekeepers from Malaysia on Thursday, the global body's peacekeeping mission said. The attack comes just a few days after Malaysian leader's calls to expel Israel from the U.N. for its violations of international law.
In a statement, the mission said the injuries occurred as a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) convoy bringing newly arrived peacekeepers to south Lebanon was passing Sidon when a drone strike hit nearby.
Three Lebanese soldiers were also injured in the attack, it said, without specifying who was behind the drone strike.
"We remind all actors of their obligation to avoid actions putting peacekeepers or civilians in danger. Differences should be resolved at the negotiating table, not through violence,” it added.
The Lebanese army, however, confirmed that an Israeli drone struck a car as it was passing by the Al-Awali military checkpoint in Sidon.
A military statement said three people were killed in the attack, which also injured three soldiers at the checkpoint.
The army said that the injured peacekeepers were members of the Malaysian contingent. Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recently said his country prepared a draft resolution for the U.N. General Assembly which, among others, proposes that Israel be removed as a member of the world body “should there be a violation of laws, rules and decisions in issues involving Palestine.”
No information was yet available about the identity of those inside the targeted car.
UNIFIL operates between the Litani River in southern Lebanon and the Blue Line, which serves as the border with Israel, as part of its mandate under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 to maintain security in the region.
A massive Israeli air campaign in Lebanon has been ongoing since late September against what it claims are Hezbollah targets, an escalation in year-long cross-border warfare since the start of the Gaza war.
More than 3,000 people have been killed and over 13,500 injured in Israeli attacks since October 2023, according to Lebanese health authorities.
Israel launched a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.
Anwar told lawmakers that the draft resolution is in the negotiation process and is expected to be presented at the UNGA for approval “soon."
"Strong measures, including Israel's removal from the United Nations following Israel's human rights violations and genocidal crimes, must be enforced as soon as possible," said Anwar.
"Malaysia will ensure that the agenda is heard and given attention so that the atrocities of the Israeli regime can be stopped, besides allowing critical aid to reach the Palestinian people at a time when the massacre continues to worsen," he said, according to a brief part of his speech shared on X.
It came after the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, urged the suspension of Israel’s UN membership on Wednesday, citing repeated violations of international law and the occupation of Palestinian territories.
Once approved, Anwar said, the resolution is expected to be a legal basis for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to continue providing basic services, including education, health treatment and humanitarian aid.
Israeli Parliament last week passed a bill banning UNRWA from operating, which would eventually affect its work in the Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The legislation will take effect in 90 days.
