Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Sergeant Milovan Jovanivić, a Serbian national serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), was killed in an attack on his base in southern Lebanon, according to UN reports. Two other peacekeepers were injured and are receiving medical care at a UNIFIL facility. An investigation is ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident.
The attack occurred amid escalating exchanges of fire between Israeli military forces and Hezbollah fighters, though the exact origin of the shelling leading to the casualties has not been confirmed.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the killing as a grave violation of international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolution 1701, stating that such attacks may constitute war crimes. He called for all responsible parties to be promptly investigated and held accountable.
The UN chief also urged combatants to respect a cessation of hostilities declared on 16 April and welcomed a ceasefire renewal agreement announced by the United States between Lebanon and Israel, despite Hezbollah’s military wing reportedly rejecting the deal as "futile." Guterres appealed to Hezbollah to respect the Lebanese Government’s authority over weapons and called on Israel to withdraw fully north of the Blue Line of separation.
Serbian authorities confirmed that Sergeant Jovanivić was evacuated by helicopter to a hospital in Beirut after receiving emergency care but succumbed to his injuries. UNIFIL noted that since hostilities began on 2 March, seven UN peacekeepers have been killed in Lebanon, highlighting increasing risks in southern Lebanon.