French UN Peacekeeper Killed in Lebanon Attack, Macron Blames Hezbollah
A French UN peacekeeping soldier was killed in an attack in southern Lebanon on Saturday that also wounded three others. French President Emmanuel Macron said "everything suggests" that Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, was responsible for the attack.
A French soldier serving with the United Nations peacekeeping force UNIFIL was killed Saturday in an attack in southern Lebanon that left three others wounded. French President Emmanuel Macron quickly pointed the finger at Hezbollah.
"Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah," Macron wrote on social media. He demanded that Lebanese authorities immediately arrest those responsible and work with UNIFIL peacekeepers.
Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group that controls much of southern Lebanon, denied any involvement in the attack. The group called for "exercising caution in issuing judgements regarding the incident" and said "we deny any connection" to what happened.
UNIFIL peacekeepers have been stationed in southern Lebanon since 1978 to help maintain peace between Lebanon and Israel. The force includes troops from dozens of countries who monitor the border area and work to prevent conflicts from escalating.
Details about exactly how the attack happened are still emerging. Macron's accusation against Hezbollah could further strain France's relationship with the powerful Lebanese group.
This marks a deadly escalation in tensions between international peacekeepers and Hezbollah in Lebanon. UN peacekeepers are stationed there to prevent conflict, and attacks on them could lead to reduced international support for Lebanon's stability.
Watch for Lebanon's government response to Macron's demands for arrests and any investigation findings about who carried out the attack.
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