Lebanon says 25 arrested after attack on UN peacekeepers

BEIRUT — Lebanese authorities said Saturday that more than 25 people had been arrested following an attack on a United Nations convoy the day before that wounded two peacekeepers, including the force's outgoing deputy commander.

UN and Lebanese officials have condemned Friday's attack, which came as Hizbollah supporters for a second night blocked the road to the country's only international airport over a decision barring two Iranian planes from landing there.

"More than 25 people have been arrested by Lebanese army intelligence", with another person detained by the security services, Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar told reporters after an emergency security meeting Saturday.

"This does not mean these detainees carried out the attack... but the investigations will show who is responsible," he said.

The army and security agencies would bolster measures to "maintain security and stability", Hajjar added, and violations would be treated "with all seriousness".

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon [UNIFIL] has demanded an investigation after one of its vehicles was set on fire during the incident, which wounded outgoing deputy force commander Chok Bahadur Dhakal, a Nepalese national who was heading home after ending his mission.

UNIFIL deputy spokesperson Kandice Ardiel told AFP a second Nepalese peacekeeper was also wounded and hospitalised.

President Joseph Aoun vowed "the attackers will receive their punishment", and said "security forces will not be lenient with any party that tries to upset stability and civil peace", according to a statement from the presidency on X.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam strongly condemned the "criminal attack" and promised to arrest the perpetrators during a conversation with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and UNIFIL Commander General Aroldo Lazaro.