On January 22, 2025, three Finnish soldiers serving in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) sustained minor injuries due to an explosion in a building along their patrol route, where Israeli forces were operating. The Finnish Army reported that the incident occurred during a scheduled patrol, and the cause of the explosion remains unknown.
One vehicle in the convoy was damaged, and the injured peacekeepers were quickly transported to the nearest UNIFIL post for examination before returning to their base.
This incident follows heightened tensions in the region, with Israel intensifying its offensive against the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah since September 2024. The UNIFIL mission, established to enforce UN resolutions that ended the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon, has seen several of its members injured in recent months due to clashes between both sides.
Approximately two months prior to this incident, Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire agreement aimed at halting hostilities and withdrawing troops from southern Lebanon. The ongoing conflict, exacerbated by Hezbollah's support for Hamas, has resulted in over 4,000 fatalities.