UNIFIL, the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, said two of its members were injured on Thursday due to Israeli tank fire against its headquarters in Naqura, southern Lebanon, amid continuous clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah militants along the border.
In a statement, UNIFIL said the injuries occurred “when an IDF Merkava tank fired at an observation tower at the UNIFIL Headquarters in Naqoura, hitting it directly.” The peacekeepers reportedly suffered non-serious injuries and are still in the hospital receiving treatment. UNIFIL added that its Naqura headquarters, as well as positions around it, have been repeatedly targeted.
Apart from the attack at the headquarters, another position in Ras Naqura was also reportedly hit by Israeli forces. According to a UNIFIL report, the attack reached the entrance of a bunker where peacekeepers were taking cover and damaged several vehicles along with the communication system. The peacekeeping force also reported that one IDF drone was seen flying near the entrance of the bunker.
The UNIFIL, with about 10,000 peacekeepers deployed in southern Lebanon, has called for a ceasefire since fighting between Israel and Hezbollah started to escalate on September 23.
In a more disturbing event, the peacekeeping force said on Wednesday that IDF soldiers deliberately opened fire on and put out-of-order perimeter-monitoring cameras at their positions. They also attacked a place where tripartite meetings, featuring the three sides-Hezbollah and Israel, have never taken part in the meetings held regularly, destroying important lighting and relay equipment.
