JERUSALEM: The Israeli military on Monday accused UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon of shooting down one of its drones a day earlier during an intelligence-gathering mission.
"Yesterday, an IDF intelligence-gathering drone was downed in the area of Kfar Kila in southern Lebanon during a routine intelligence-gathering activity in the area," military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said on X.
"An initial inquiry suggests that UNIFIL forces stationed nearby deliberately fired at the drone and downed it. The drone's activity did not pose a threat to UNIFIL forces."
Following the shooting of the drone, the military dropped a grenade toward the area where the UAV fell, adding that troops did not fire at the peacekeepers.
'Aggressive manner'
On Sunday, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said an Israeli drone flew over its patrol in an "aggressive manner."
"The peacekeepers applied necessary defensive countermeasures to neutralise the drone," it said in a statement.
The incident "shows disregard for safety and security of the peackeepers implementing Security Council mandated tasks in southern Lebanon," it said.
Grenade dropped
UNIFIL later said another Israeli drone came close to its patrol operating near Kfar Kila and dropped a grenade.
"Moments later, an Israeli tank fired a shot towards the peacekeepers. Fortunately, no injury or damage was caused to the UNIFIL peacekeepers and assets," the statement added.
As part of last year's ceasefire deal, Israeli troops were to withdraw from southern Lebanon and Hezbollah was to pull back north of the Litani River and dismantle any military infrastructure in the south.
Israel has kept troops deployed
According to the agreement, only the Lebanese army and UNIFIL are to be deployed in the south of the country.
Under US pressure and fearing an escalation of Israeli strikes, the Lebanese government has moved to begin disarming Hezbollah, a plan the movement and its allies oppose.
Despite the terms of the truce, Israel has kept troops deployed in five border points it deems strategic.
Israel has also intensified strikes in recent weeks, with several deadly attacks launched over the past few days.
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