French soldier killed in attack on UN mission in southern Lebanon, officials say
nited Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers and members of the Lebanese army arrive at the site, after an Israeli strike severed the last remaining bridge linking southern Lebanon to the rest of the country, in Qasmiyeh, Lebanon April 16, 2026. Photo: Reuters
A French soldier was killed and three others wounded while clearing a road in southern Lebanon in an attack that UNIFIL peacekeepers and French officials alleged on Saturday was likely carried out by Hezbollah.
UNIFIL said initial assessments indicated the fire came from non-state actors, allegedly Hezbollah, and that an investigation had been launched into what it called "a deliberate attack".
“Sergeant Major Florian Montorio of the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment in Montauban was killed this morning in southern Lebanon during an attack against UNIFIL,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a post on X.
Le Sergent-chef Florian Montorio du 17eme régiment du génie parachutiste de Montauban est tombé ce matin au sud-Liban lors d’une attaque contre la FINUL.
Trois de ses frères d’armes sont blessés et ont été évacués.
La Nation s’incline avec respect…“Everything suggests that Hezbollah is responsible for this attack,” he added.
In calls with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Macron condemned the "unacceptable attack", his office said in a statement.
Macron also said the evidence so far pointed to the Iran-backed armed group and urged Lebanese authorities to act against those responsible.
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French armed forces minister Catherine Vautrin said the patrol was ambushed while on a mission to open a route to a UNIFIL post that had been isolated by fighting in the area.
The soldier was killed by direct small-arms fire, she said. UNIFIL said the attack occurred in the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh.
Lebanon's army condemned the shooting and said it had opened an investigation. President Aoun offered condolences and ordered an immediate probe, while PM Salam also condemned the attack.
UNIFIL was first deployed in 1978 and has remained through successive conflicts, including a 2024 war during which its positions came under repeated fire.
Hezbollah denied any involvement in the incident.
In a statement, Hezbollah said it “denies any involvement in the incident that occurred with UNIFIL forces in the Ghandouriyeh area in the Bint Jbeil district”.
The group urged caution, stressing the need “to avoid rushing to conclusions and accusations” before the circumstances of the incident are fully clarified.
Hezbollah also emphasised the importance of continued coordination between local residents, UNIFIL and the Lebanese army, particularly under what it described as sensitive conditions.
It further expressed surprise at what it called premature accusations, saying some parties were quick to assign blame “while remaining silent during Israeli attacks on UNIFIL forces”.
Israeli military kills militants in the South
Separately, the Israeli military said on Saturday it had killed members of a "terrorist cell" that violated a US-brokered ceasefire and approached its soldiers in southern Lebanon.
It said it was authorised to take necessary self-defence measures against "threats", adding that such actions are not restricted by the ceasefire.
Israel and Lebanon agreed on a "cessation of hostilities" on April 16 at 2100 GMT for an initial period of 10 days to enable peace negotiations between the two countries, according to a text of the deal released by the US State Department.
The deal does not require Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops have been destroying villages and infrastructure after ordering residents south of the Litani River to flee. The area makes up about 8% of Lebanese territory.