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.
“Last night, a peacekeeper at UNIFIL’s headquarters” in Naqura “was hit by gunfire due to ongoing military activity nearby… We do not yet know the origin of the fire,” a statement said.
UNIFIL said the peacekeeper underwent surgery to remove the bullet, and was “stable.”
The UN force additionally said that buildings in the position in Ramyah “sustained significant damage due to explosions from nearby shelling.”
Two UN peacekeepers were injured on Friday by an Israeli strike near their watchtower in south Lebanon, the Israeli military said.
The Israel Defense Forces expressed “deep concern” and said its troops fired at an “immediate threat” emanating from near a UN peacekeeping mission position.
It said the peacekeepers had been warned hours earlier to take shelter. The United Nations said both were from Sri Lanka.
UNIFIL said that also on Friday several blast walls “at 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.”
“These 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,” it said.
Earlier, Lebanon’s foreign ministry said the Israeli army targeted “watchtowers and the main UNIFIL base in… Naqura, and on the Sri Lankan battalion’s base, which led to a number of wounded.”
Hezbollah said on Friday it fired rockets at Israeli troops in the Ras Naqura area, a little further south.
The UNIFIL force said the incident was a “serious development” and that the security of UN personnel and property must be guaranteed.
France summoned Israel’s ambassador, and issued a joint statement with Italy and Spain saying such attacks were “unjustifiable.” US President Joe Biden said he was asking Israel not to hit the UNIFIL forces. Russia said it was “outraged” and demanded Israel refrain from “hostile actions” against the peacekeepers.
UNIFIL has more than 10,000 personnel, with Italy, France, Malaysia, Indonesia and India among the biggest contributors.
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.
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’s October 7 massacre in southern Israel that killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage to Gaza.
It has intensified in recent weeks, with Israel striking southern Lebanon, Beirut’s southern suburbs and the Bekaa Valley, killing many of Hezbollah’s top leaders, and sending ground troops across the border. Hezbollah for its part has fired rockets deeper into Israel.
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.