Ghana’s peacekeeping mission in the Middle East has come under direct threat after a missile attack struck the Ghanaian Battalion headquarters serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, leaving two soldiers critically injured and another traumatised.

The Ghana Armed Forces confirmed that the attack occurred on Thursday evening amid escalating hostilities between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

According to a statement issued by the Department of Public Relations at General Headquarters in Burma Camp in Accra, the Ghanaian battalion position was struck by two missiles between 17:45 and 17:52 local time.

Military authorities said the strikes hit the battalion headquarters compound, causing significant damage. Two Ghanaian soldiers sustained critical injuries while another member of the contingent suffered trauma from the incident.

In addition to the casualties, the battalion’s Officers’ Mess facility was destroyed after being completely engulfed by fire following the impact of the missiles.

Despite the severity of the attack, the military indicated that the injured personnel were promptly evacuated to a Level One Medical Bunker within the UN mission area, where they are receiving emergency medical attention.

Officials said the soldiers are currently stable while arrangements are being made to transfer them to the UNIFIL Headquarters Referral Hospital for further treatment.

The Ghana Armed Forces further assured the Ghanaian public that the remainder of the troops deployed at the battalion headquarters remain safe, noting that soldiers immediately moved into underground bunkers following the attack due to the fragile security situation in the region.

The missile strike is believed to be a fallout of the ongoing exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters along the Israel–Lebanon border, which has witnessed periodic escalations since tensions in the Middle East intensified in recent months.

In response to the incident, the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (Ghana), has formally lodged a protest with the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Ghana has urged all parties involved in the conflict to respect international obligations and ensure the safety of peacekeeping personnel operating under the UN mandate.

Ghana has been a longstanding contributor to international peacekeeping operations and has maintained troops under the UNIFIL mission for decades.

The mission itself was established by the United Nations in 1978 to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, restore international peace and security, and assist the Lebanese government in regaining authority in the southern part of the country.

Over the years, Ghanaian troops have earned global recognition for their professionalism and commitment in peacekeeping missions across conflict zones.

However, recent escalations between Israel and Hezbollah have increasingly placed UN peacekeepers stationed along the volatile border at heightened risk.

The Ghana Armed Forces, in the statement signed by Captain Veronica Adzo Arihin of the Ghana Navy, who is acting Director General of Public Relations, called for calm among the Ghanaian public while efforts continue to ensure the safety and medical evacuation of the injured personnel.

However, authorities say the situation remains under close monitoring as diplomatic and military channels work to safeguard peacekeeping forces deployed in the conflict zone.