The Ambassador of Israel to Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Roey Gilad, has expressed sorrow following a missile strike on a Ghanaian peacekeeping base in southern Lebanon that left soldiers critically wounded.
The attack, confirmed by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), occurred on Friday evening when the Ghanaian Battalion Headquarters serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was hit twice between 17:45 and 17:52 local time.
According to the military statement, two soldiers were critically injured, and another suffered psychological trauma. The base’s Officers’ Mess was completely destroyed by fire. The injured are receiving treatment at a medical bunker, with plans to evacuate them to a UNIFIL referral hospital.
In a response, the Israeli envoy described the event as tragic and empathized with the troops. “This is indeed a tragic event. We send wishes of speedy recovery to the three soldiers,” Ambassador Gilad said. He also noted efforts to “identify the source of the fire, which is being investigated by the IDF.”
The GAF has assured the public that other troops are safe, having taken shelter in underground bunkers amid the fragile security situation. The incident comes as tensions soar in the Middle East, with southern Lebanon becoming a volatile theatre due to ongoing exchanges between the IDF and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
UNIFIL peacekeepers operate in a buffer zone along the Israel-Lebanon border to monitor ceasefires, but intensifying military exchanges have put them at risk. The Government of Ghana has raised the incident at the United Nations, urging all parties to respect international law and protect peacekeepers.
Ghana remains one of the largest troop-contributing countries to UN missions worldwide. This latest event highlights the growing dangers for peacekeepers as regional conflict escalates.
