GHANDOURIYEH — A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon patrol clearing explosive ordnance in the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh came under small-arms fire from non-state actors on Saturday morning, killing one French peacekeeper and wounding three others, two of them seriously. The peacekeeper who died was Staff Sgt. Florian Montorio of the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment from Montauban.

French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin said Montorio had been on a mission to open a route toward a UNIFIL post that had been isolated by fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. "He was caught in an ambush by an armed group at very close range," Vautrin said. "Immediately hit by a direct shot from a light weapon, he was pulled back under fire by his comrades, who were unable to resuscitate him."

UNIFIL said its initial assessments indicated the attack was deliberate and likely carried out by Hezbollah, and that an investigation had been launched. Hezbollah denied involvement in the attack.

French President Emmanuel Macron also attributed responsibility to Hezbollah. "Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah," Macron said. "France demands that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest those responsible and assume their responsibilities alongside UNIFIL."

Macron spoke with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to call on the Lebanese authorities to shed full light on the incident, identify and prosecute those responsible without delay, and ensure the safety of UNIFIL soldiers. Salam posted on X that he had ordered an investigation into the attack and to bring the perpetrators to justice. Aoun offered condolences and ordered an immediate probe, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri condemned the attack.

Lebanon's Military Tribunal opened an investigation into the incident and contacted the army's intelligence department to identify the attackers. The Lebanese army condemned the attack, said it was investigating to detain the perpetrators, and said it would continue close coordination with UNIFIL.

The attack occurred after a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect at midnight Thursday. UNIFIL was first deployed in 1978 along the border between Israel and Lebanon and has remained through successive conflicts, including a 2024 war during which its positions came under repeated fire. Last month, two UN peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon when an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle during Israel's ground invasion of the country.