UN peacekeepers reported that Israeli forces fired from a Merkava tank at a UNIFIL patrol inside Lebanese territory, with heavy machine gun rounds landing just five meters away. No injuries were reported. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the peacekeepers were mistaken for suspects due to poor weather conditions and that only warning shots were fired. UNIFIL condemned the incident as a serious breach of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which restricts armed forces in southern Lebanon to UN and Lebanese troops. The peacekeepers were pinned down for about 30 minutes before leaving the area. The incident comes amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah despite a ceasefire agreement signed last November. Lebanon accused Israel of violating its sovereignty and obstructing the army’s deployment in the south, while Israel maintains it targets Hezbollah militants attempting to rearm. UNIFIL urged Israel to cease aggressive actions against peacekeepers.