A French soldier has been killed and three others injured—two critically—after a UNIFIL patrol came under direct fire in southern Lebanon. According to initial UNIFIL assessments, the attack was carried out by non-state actors allegedly linked to Hezbollah.

France’s Armed Forces Minister stated that the troops were ambushed at very close range by an armed group. The incident marks a serious escalation and raises concerns over the safety of international peacekeeping forces in the region.