A UN peacekeeper killed in southern Lebanon after a mortar strike on a UNIFIL position has been identified as a Serbian soldier, Serbia’s defense ministry said Thursday.
The soldier, Senior Sergeant Milovan Jovanovic, was wounded in the attack on the UN base in Marjeyoun and received emergency treatment on site before being evacuated by helicopter to the University Medical Center in Beirut, where he died from his injuries.
The base that came under fire is part of the UNIFIL mission’s eastern sector, which operates under Italian responsibility, prompting a series of statements from Italian officials.
Italy’s defense ministry and senior officials condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the Serbian armed forces, while emphasizing the presence of Italian troops within the mission. Defense Chief Gen. Luciano Portolano said the strike resulted in “the death of a Serbian peacekeeper,” calling it a “tragic event” and stressing solidarity with UN personnel in the field.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also said he conveyed condolences “to the government of Belgrade for the killing of a Serbian soldier that took place last night in Lebanon following an attack on a contingent base.”
Israeli ambassador to the United States Jonathan Peled condemned what he described as a Hezbollah attack on a UNIFIL base, saying it “caused the death and injury of UNIFIL soldiers,” and called for a clear condemnation of Hezbollah and support for the cease-fire framework.
The IDF said Hezbollah was responsible for the strike, stating that “the Hezbollah terrorist organization launched mortar shells that hit a UNIFIL position and killed a UN personnel member in southern Lebanon.”
The Israeli army said the strike was carried out by Hezbollah, stating that “the Hezbollah terrorist organization launched mortar shells that hit a UNIFIL position and killed a UN personnel member in southern Lebanon.”
According to the military, overnight launches from the Al-Qatrani area “carried out by the Hezbollah terrorist organization” landed inside a UNIFIL position in the Dibbine area, killing one UN personnel member and wounding two others.
The IDF added that an examination of the launch trajectory “clearly indicates that the fire was carried out by the Hezbollah terrorist organization,” warning that “Hezbollah’s launches endanger international forces and also harm UN personnel operating in the area.”