A convoy of United Nations peacekeepers was attacked by protesters who set fire to one of the vehicles, leaving two people wounded, including a senior commander. More than 25 people have been arrested and another is being detained as Lebanese authorities investigate the incident.
Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar announced that investigations will determine who is responsible for the attack, which he described as a “crime against UNIFIL forces”. The attack occurred when Major-General Chok Bahadur Dhakal was on his way to leave the country after completing his mission.
The Lebanese army intervened but not before peacekeepers sustained injuries. President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack, stating that security forces will not tolerate anyone trying to destabilize the country and that those responsible will face punishment.
UNIFIL said the attack was a “flagrant” violation of international law and may amount to war crimes. The United States also condemned the attack, saying it resulted in multiple injuries on UN peacekeepers and was carried out by a group of Hezbollah supporters.
The incident occurred amid rising tensions over Iran’s alleged attempts to smuggle funds to Hezbollah using civilian flights. Hezbollah denied involvement in the attack, blaming “unruly elements” for causing chaos at the Beirut airport road.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/15/un-commander-injured-as-lebanese-protesters-torch-car-near-beirut-airport