US President Joe Biden has called on Israel to halt its attacks on UN peacekeepers during its ongoing conflict with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
This plea follows two incidents within 48 hours that left four UN soldiers injured, heightening tensions in the region.
On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed responsibility for one such attack, where two Sri Lankan peacekeepers serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) were injured. The IDF said its soldiers, operating near the Unifil base in Naqoura, mistook a perceived threat and opened fire. The IDF has since promised an investigation “at the highest levels.”
The day before, two Indonesian peacekeepers were hurt when an Israeli tank fired at an observation post, causing them to fall from the tower.
In a joint statement, the leaders of France, Italy, and Spain condemned Israel’s actions, calling them “unjustifiable” and demanding an immediate cessation. Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry also strongly condemned the attack on its soldiers.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the head of UN peacekeeping, stated there was credible evidence that some UN positions in southern Lebanon were directly targeted, though responsibility was not explicitly assigned. He pointed out that cameras and infrastructure were damaged by what appeared to be direct fire.
As Israeli ground forces continue to push into southern Lebanon, exchanges of missile and rocket fire between Hezbollah and Israel have intensified, particularly along the Israel-Lebanon border. On Friday, the IDF reported approximately 100 rockets launched into northern Israel from Lebanon, along with the detection and interception of two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed that three civilians, including a two-year-old girl, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sidon. Additionally, two Lebanese soldiers died when Israeli forces struck an army post in Kafra.
In Beirut, rescue workers continued to sift through debris following Israeli airstrikes that left 22 civilians dead and 117 injured, according to Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati. Israel has not commented on the strikes.
Israel has repeatedly voiced concerns over Unifil’s effectiveness in stabilizing the region and has urged peacekeepers to withdraw northwards to allow it to confront Hezbollah without interference. However, Lacroix confirmed that the peacekeeping force, which consists of about 10,000 soldiers from 50 countries, would remain stationed in its current positions.
Hezbollah’s rocket attacks into northern Israel began in October last year, shortly after a deadly attack by Hamas in southern Israel. The group claims its actions are in solidarity with Palestinians, vowing to cease fire only if Israel agrees to a truce with Hamas in Gaza.
In recent weeks, Israel has significantly escalated its military campaign against Hezbollah, with airstrikes targeting southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut. The Lebanese government estimates over 2,000 people have been killed in the conflict, with many more displaced.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israeli strikes on the Jabalia refugee camp have left at least 30 people dead, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency.
The medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has raised concerns about thousands of people trapped in the area, including some of its own staff, as Israeli forces reportedly carry out operations in the northern Palestinian enclave.
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