Vehicles from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)<\/p>\n
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Saturday that unknown gunfire a day earlier hit a peacekeeper, the fifth wounded in south Lebanon near the Israeli border in just two days.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast night, a peacekeeper at UNIFIL\u2019s headquarters\u201d in Naqura \u201cwas hit by gunfire due to ongoing military activity nearby\u2026 We do not yet know the origin of the fire,\u201d a statement said.<\/p>\n
UNIFIL said the peacekeeper underwent surgery to remove the bullet, and was \u201cstable.\u201d<\/p>\n
The UN force additionally said that buildings in the position in Ramyah \u201csustained significant damage due to explosions from nearby shelling.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two UN peacekeepers were injured on Friday by an Israeli strike near their watchtower in south Lebanon, the Israeli military said.<\/p>\n
The Israel Defense Forces expressed \u201cdeep concern\u201d and said its troops fired at an \u201cimmediate threat\u201d emanating from near a UN peacekeeping mission position.<\/p>\n
It said the peacekeepers had been warned hours earlier to take shelter. The United Nations said both were from Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n
UNIFIL said that also on Friday several blast walls \u201cat our UN position 1-31, near the Blue Line in Labbouneh, fell when an IDF Caterpillar hit the perimeter and IDF tanks moved in the proximity of the UN position.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThese incidents put again UN peacekeepers, who are serving in south Lebanon at the request of the Security Council under resolution 1701 (2006), at very serious risks,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Lebanon\u2019s foreign ministry said the Israeli army targeted \u201cwatchtowers and the main UNIFIL base in\u2026 Naqura, and on the Sri Lankan battalion\u2019s base, which led to a number of wounded.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hezbollah said on Friday it fired rockets at Israeli troops in the Ras Naqura area, a little further south.<\/p>\n
The UNIFIL force said the incident was a \u201cserious development\u201d and that the security of UN personnel and property must be guaranteed.<\/p>\n
France summoned Israel\u2019s ambassador, and issued a joint statement with Italy and Spain saying such attacks were \u201cunjustifiable.\u201d US President Joe Biden said he was asking Israel not to hit the UNIFIL forces. Russia said it was \u201coutraged\u201d and demanded Israel refrain from \u201chostile actions\u201d against the peacekeepers.<\/p>\n
UNIFIL has more than 10,000 personnel, with Italy, France, Malaysia, Indonesia and India among the biggest contributors.<\/p>\n
Two Indonesian UN peacekeepers were injured on Thursday after falling from a watchtower following Israeli tank fire, after which Israel said its troops had opened fire nearby, and that Hezbollah fighters operated from areas near UNIFIL posts.<\/p>\n
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah erupted one year ago when the Iranian-backed terror group began launching rockets at northern Israel in support of Hamas after the terror group\u2019s October 7 massacre in southern Israel that killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage to Gaza.<\/p>\n
It has intensified in recent weeks, with Israel striking southern Lebanon, Beirut\u2019s southern suburbs and the Bekaa Valley, killing many of Hezbollah\u2019s top leaders, and sending ground troops across the border. Hezbollah for its part has fired rockets deeper into Israel.<\/p>\n
Israel says its ground operation is aimed at pushing Hezbollah away from the border and allowing the safe return of evacuated Israeli civilians to their homes in northern Israel.<\/p>\n