BRUSSELS

France on Wednesday condemned an Israeli drone attack on a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) detachment and urged Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory, warning that peacekeepers must be allowed to operate freely under international law.

The French Foreign Ministry said Israeli drones dropped stun grenades on Sept. 2 near UN peacekeepers clearing roadblocks along the Blue Line, the de facto border between Israel and Lebanon.

The incident came just days after the UN Security Council, at France’s initiative, unanimously renewed UNIFIL’s mandate on Aug. 28.

The ministry described UNIFIL’s presence as “essential” to stability in Lebanon and the wider region. It called for the full protection of UN personnel and facilities under Security Council Resolution 1701 and stressed that “UNIFIL should be allowed to fully carry out its mandate and move freely.”

Paris also underscored the need for all sides “without exception” to respect the ceasefire to safeguard civilians on both sides of the border. “France calls on Israel to withdraw from all Lebanese territory in accordance with the agreement of 27 November 2024,” the statement said.

UNIFIL confirmed that four grenades were dropped close to its detachment on Tuesday morning. The force, deployed in southern Lebanon since 1978, was reinforced after the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war under Resolution 1701.

Israel launched a military offensive in Lebanon on Oct. 8, 2023, which escalated into full-scale war by September 2024, killing more than 4,000 people and injuring about 17,000.

A ceasefire was reached in November, but Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target activities of the Hezbollah group.

Under the truce, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.