Lebanon's president condemns attack on Unifil convoy and vows punishment

Deputy force commander was injured in the incident

Firefighters extinguish a burning Unifil vehicle after the attack on the road to Beirut’s international airport on Friday. AFP

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun on Saturday condemned an attack on a UN peacekeeping convoy a day earlier that injured the force's departing deputy commander, and vowed to punish the perpetrators.

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon said Maj Gen Chok Bahadur Dhakal, who was returning home after ending his mission, was wounded on Friday after the convoy was attacked and a vehicle was set on fire.

“What happened last night on Airport Road and in some areas of Beirut are unacceptable and condemned actions, and they cannot be allowed to be repeated,” a statement from the Lebanese presidency said on X.

“Security forces will not be lenient with any party that tries to upset stability and civil peace.”

Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmad Al Hajjar on Saturday afternoon said authorities had made arrests over the incident. “More than 25 people have been arrested by Lebanese army intelligence” with another person detained by the security services, Mr Al Hajjar told reporters after an emergency security meeting.

“This does not mean these detainees carried out the attack … but the investigations will show who is responsible,” he added.

Protests by Hezbollah supporters were taking place in the area over Lebanon's recent ban on Iranian flights. According to the Lebanese National News Agency, protesters attacked a UN convoy passing through a road near Beirut International Airport.

The Lebanese Army confirmed protests were held in several areas, including near the airport, where there were acts of vandalism, assaults on soldiers and attacks on Unifil vehicles, along with an attempt to block airport access.

Protests continued on Saturday and the Lebanese army threw tear gas at those attempting to set fire to tyres to block the road, NNA reported. Hezbollah later announced the end of its demonstration on the airport road.

Hezbollah on Sunday condemned the attack on the Unifil convoy, but also separately, denounced the Lebanese army for firing tear gas at protesters on Saturday. It called on the Lebanese military to open a probe into what it described as an "unjustified assault on peaceful civilians".

Unifil demanded an investigation and the Lebanese Army pledged to take action against those responsible.

The presidency's statement said Mr Aoun had checked on the deputy commander's condition after the incident, which he said “cannot be allowed to be repeated”.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres strongly criticised the attack. “Such attacks are absolutely unacceptable. The perpetrators must be held accountable,” a spokesman for Mr Guterres said. “The safety and security of UN personnel and property must be respected at all times.”

The UAE also strongly condemned the attack. Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs, emphasised that targeting peacekeeping missions is in contravention of the principles of international law and she expressed the UAE’s unwavering support for Lebanon and the important role of Unifil's peacekeeping efforts.

The US State Department also condemned the attack.

Hezbollah supporters gathered for protests after Lebanon halted an Iranian flight to Beirut this week after the Israeli military accused Tehran of using civilian aircraft to smuggle cash to Beirut to arm the group. Tehran said it would not allow Lebanese flights to land until its own planes were cleared to land in Beirut.

The standoff has left dozens of Lebanese citizens stranded in Iran for three days after attending a pilgrimage. They had been due to return to Beirut on Iran's Mahan Air before Lebanon barred the plane from landing.