Published February 15,2025
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A member of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was injured Friday in an assault on a convoy close to Beirut’s airport, amid protests in regards to the denial by Lebanese authorities to grant permission for an Iranian airplane to land within the metropolis.
“This evening a UNIFIL convoy taking peacekeepers to Beirut airport was violently attacked, and a vehicle was set on fire,” UNIFIL mentioned in a press release, including that “UNIFIL’s outgoing Deputy Force Commander, who was returning home after ending his mission, was injured.”
Describing the assault as “outrageous,” UNIFIL affirmed the continuation of its mission in Lebanon “to restore security and stability in south Lebanon in accordance with our mandate under Security Council resolution 1701.”
UNIFIL urged Lebanese authorities to conduct a full and rapid investigation and be sure that these accountable are dropped at justice.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam held separate phone calls with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro to sentence the assault.
The assault comes on the heels of the denial by Lebanon on Thursday to allow an Iranian airplane to land at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, triggering protests by the Hezbollah group’s supporters who blocked the principle highway to the airport.
Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee claimed Wednesday that Hezbollah and Iran’s Quds Force use the airport to smuggle funds to arm the Lebanese resistance group by way of civilian flights.
An identical incident came about Jan. 3, when Lebanese airport authorities subjected an Iranian airplane carrying a diplomatic delegation to an in depth
Source: www.anews.com.tr