The United States has urged Israel to cease its attacks on United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon amidst its ongoing conflict with Hezbollah. This follows two separate incidents within 48 hours where UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) soldiers were injured. President Joe Biden made a strong appeal for Israel to halt these actions. On Friday, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) admitted responsibility for firing on a UNIFIL base in Naqoura, which resulted in injuries to two Sri Lankan peacekeepers. The IDF claimed their soldiers had mistakenly identified a threat near the base and opened fire but promised to investigate the incident thoroughly.
A similar occurrence took place on Thursday, when an Israeli tank fired towards a UN observation post, leading to injuries to two Indonesian peacekeepers who fell from a tower. These incidents have triggered international condemnation. France, Italy, and Spain issued a joint statement, calling Israel’s actions “unjustifiable” and demanding they stop. Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry also condemned the attack that injured its soldiers, while Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the head of UN peacekeeping, suggested that some of the fire aimed at UN positions may have been deliberate, citing damage to a tower and cameras.
The violence unfolded as Israel continued its ground invasion of southern Lebanon, a response to increased rocket fire from Hezbollah. The IDF reported that approximately 100 rockets were launched from Lebanon into northern Israel on Friday within 30 minutes, while two drones also entered Israeli airspace, one of which was intercepted.
The toll on civilians has been significant. Lebanon’s Ministry of Health confirmed that an Israeli airstrike on Sidon killed three people, including a two-year-old girl. Additionally, two Lebanese soldiers were killed when an Israeli strike hit an army post in Kafra. In Beirut, emergency workers were still searching the debris from Israeli airstrikes on Thursday, which killed 22 civilians and injured 117. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned these attacks as unjustified, stating that they came without warning. Israel has yet to comment on the airstrikes.
Since last October, Hezbollah and Israel have exchanged almost daily cross-border fire, escalating following a deadly attack by Hamas in southern Israel. Hezbollah says its actions are in solidarity with Palestinians and have offered to cease firing if a truce is reached between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Over the past few weeks, Israel has significantly escalated its operations against Hezbollah, including more airstrikes, the assassination of Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah, and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.
Lebanon has reported over 2,000 deaths, mostly from the recent escalation, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. Meanwhile, Hezbollah rocket fire has resulted in the deaths of two Israeli civilians and a Thai national in northern Israel. In Gaza, the situation remains dire as Israeli strikes continue, with 30 people reportedly killed in the Jabalia refugee camp. Humanitarian organizations have warned that people in Jabalia are trapped and unable to evacuate due to ongoing attacks. Israel says it is targeting Hamas fighters regrouping in the area, as fighting in northern Gaza intensifies.
