A mortar attack struck the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Spanish Battalion position near Marjayoun in southern Lebanon on the night of June 3, 2026. The blast injured three Spanish peacekeepers, one of whom died from wounds the following morning. A Serbian peacekeeper also died from injuries sustained in the same incident. Two additional peacekeepers from Spain and El Salvador were wounded and are recovering [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
Malaysian Battalion 850-13 personnel deployed in the area were not harmed. Following the attack, Malaysian UNIFIL patrols were temporarily suspended and the security alert level was raised to Status Level Red, the highest level [1, 3].
Malaysia condemned the attacks, calling them "unjustifiable" acts carried out amid escalating hostilities linked to Israel's violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty. The Malaysian Foreign Ministry said, "These attacks on peacekeepers and the civilian population continue amidst escalating hostilities, as a direct result of Israel’s violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and are unjustifiable" [2].
Spain likewise condemned the attack and demanded a full investigation and accountability. The Spanish Foreign Ministry said, "Spain strongly condemns the latest attacks" on UN peacekeepers. Malaysia, Spain, and the Malaysian Armed Forces all labeled the attack a violation of international humanitarian law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701 [1, 2, 3, 5].
UNIFIL has launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the mortar attack near Marjayoun on June 3 [4, 5].
On June 5, Malaysian authorities confirmed their personnel in Malbatt 850-13 remained safe amid heightened security measures. Spain continues to call for accountability as injured peacekeepers recover.
The incident follows ongoing violence in southern Lebanon that has endangered UN peacekeepers tasked with maintaining stability in the region.
