UNIFIL says IDF dropped a "nontoxic chemical substance" near Blue Line; patrols suspended for more than nine hours

A UNIFIL representative said yesterday that the Israeli Defense Forces notified peacekeepers it would carry out an aerial activity dropping what the IDF described as a "nontoxic chemical substance" over areas near the Blue Line, temporarily halting operations.

The statement said the IDF informed peacekeepers to "stay clear of the area," which forced the suspension of more than a dozen UNIFIL activities. "Normal operations including patrols along the Blue Line resumed only after more than 9 hours," the speaker added.

UNIFIL said it supported the Lebanese army in collecting samples of the dropped material so it could be tested for toxicity. The statement did not include testing results, a laboratory named to perform the analysis, or further technical details about the substance.

The speaker emphasized concern for the safety of peacekeepers and civilians, saying any activity that may put them at risk "is of serious concern." The statement also reminded the Israeli Defense Forces that flights across the Blue Line into Lebanon are a "violation of resolution 1701," and reiterated a call on all parties to "fully comply with their obligations under said resolution." No response from the IDF is recorded in the transcript.

Testing of the collected samples was cited as ongoing; the statement provided no timeline for results or further operational changes. UNIFIL said patrols and other activities resumed after the suspension.

Reporting note: the transcript identifies only a single, unnamed speaker; direct quotations and attributions in this report come from that speaker's statement as recorded in the transcript.