A French soldier serving with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon was killed after an armed group ambushed his patrol with small arms fire. Three other peacekeepers were wounded, two of them seriously, during the attack, which took place as the unit was attempting to clear explosive devices and reopen access to an isolated outpost. Efforts to resuscitate the soldier after he suffered a direct gunshot wound were unsuccessful.

French President Emmanuel Macron blamed Hezbollah for the assault, saying that everything suggests the group was responsible, and called on Lebanese authorities to immediately arrest and prosecute those involved. The attack occurred just one day after a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel took effect, heightening tensions in the already volatile border region.

The peacekeeping mission has launched an investigation into what it described as a deliberate attack that could amount to war crimes. Lebanese leaders condemned the ambush and ordered an inquiry, while Hezbollah denied any involvement and urged caution until the investigation is complete. The incident follows months of escalating violence in southern Lebanon, where peacekeepers have increasingly come under fire amid clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.