#ElPais: Israeli tanks fire near Spanish UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

On January 12, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) tanks fired towards a patrol of Spanish UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, though no casualties were reported, according to Spain’s Defence Staff.

The incident occurred around 16:30 local time, when three Israeli tanks positioned themselves north of the so-called buffer zone within the area monitored by the Spanish battalion (Spanbatt) of UNIFIL’s Eastern Brigade, commanded by Major General Antonio Bernal Martín, El Pais reports.

The buffer zone is a security perimeter surrounding five strategic positions maintained by the IDF in Lebanese territory following their last incursion in October 2024. A Spanish patrol moved south of the village of El Khiam to monitor the tanks after they reportedly left the buffer zone.

At that moment, the Israeli tanks fired three rounds from their main guns, calibre 105 or 120 mm. The shells landed 150 and 380 metres from the Spanish patrol, which withdrew to a secure location.

The tanks later returned to their positions in Lebanese territory, and the Spanish soldiers returned to Miguel de Cervantes' base in Marjayún without further incident.