A Serbian UN peacekeeper, Sergeant Milovan Jovanovic, was killed on Thursday after mortar shells hit his position near Marjayoun, southeastern Lebanon, late the previous night. This incident also left two other peacekeepers injured, one from El Salvador and the other from Spain, marking the seventh peacekeeper fatality in Lebanon since March. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed that Jovanovic was on his first peacekeeping deployment and was set to turn 37 soon. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, emphasizing that such actions against peacekeepers are serious violations of international humanitarian law and may constitute war crimes. The incident is currently under investigation, with initial assessments indicating that the mortar fire originated from north of the Litani River. Amidst this backdrop, Hezbollah has rejected a ceasefire with Israel, which complicates ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region. Guterres has also communicated to UN Security Council members the necessity of maintaining a UN presence in Lebanon as the UNIFIL mandate nears its expiration at the end of the year.