Peacekeepers wounded by Israel fire

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — Lebanon on Friday condemned an Israeli attack that it said wounded United Nations (UN) peacekeepers in the country’s south, after state media reported a second such attack in as many days.

In a statement, the foreign ministry condemned “the targeting... carried out by the Israeli army” on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

It said the bombing targeted “watchtowers and the main UNIFIL base in Ras Naqura, and on the Sri Lankan battalion’s base, which led to a number of wounded.”

The official National News Agency said an Israeli “Merkava tank targeted one of the UNIFIL towers on the main road linking Tyre and Naqura,” wounding personnel from a Sri Lankan battalion.

It added that “enemy forces” also “fired an artillery shell, targeting the main entrance of the UNIFIL command center in Naqura, leading to damage to the entrance.”

UNIFIL did not immediately respond to Agence France-Presse’s requests for comment.

On Thursday, UN peacekeepers said Israeli fire on their headquarters in south Lebanon wounded two Blue Helmets, sparking condemnation from European members of the mission.

Israel acknowledged its forces had opened fire in the area, saying the Hezbollah militants on whom it is waging an escalating war operate near UN posts.

UNIFIL, which has about 10,000 peacekeepers stationed in south Lebanon, has called for a ceasefire since an escalation between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on 23 September, after almost a year of cross-border fire.

The peacekeepers did not suffer serious injuries Thursday “but they remain in hospital,” UNIFIL had said, while a spokesperson said those wounded were from Indonesia, a major contributor of troops to the force.