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| A man holds a child while residents evacuate from the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. |
President Joe Biden has made an unequivocal plea to Israel, urging them to halt any further attacks on UN peacekeepers stationed in Lebanon. His statement follows two incidents within 48 hours where UN personnel were caught in the crossfire of Israel's ongoing conflict with Hezbollah.
On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed responsibility for an incident where two Sri Lankan soldiers from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were injured. According to the IDF, troops in the vicinity of the UNIFIL base in Naqoura identified a threat and responded with gunfire. The Israeli military assured that a thorough investigation into the matter would be conducted "at the highest levels."
The previous day, another UNIFIL post was affected when an Israeli tank fired toward an observation tower, causing two Indonesian peacekeepers to be injured after they fell from the structure.
International Condemnation
Global leaders, including those from France, Italy, and Spain, issued a joint statement condemning Israel's actions, labeling them as unjustifiable and demanding an immediate cessation. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's foreign ministry strongly condemned the attack that left its soldiers wounded.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, head of UN peacekeeping operations, hinted at the possibility of deliberate firing on UN positions in southern Lebanon, citing a particular case where a tower sustained significant damage and cameras were destroyed—suggesting direct fire.
Ongoing Conflict Between Israel and Hezbollah
The Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon continues to intensify, with both the IDF and Hezbollah exchanging rocket and missile fire across the Israel-Lebanon border. On Friday, the IDF reported over 100 rockets launched from Lebanon into northern Israel within a mere half hour, alongside two UAV incursions, one of which was intercepted.
Tragically, the violence has claimed more lives. In southern Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes on the city of Sidon resulted in the deaths of three civilians, including a two-year-old girl. The Lebanese army reported the deaths of two of its soldiers following an Israeli strike on a military post in Kafra.
Beirut in Ruins
In Beirut, emergency responders continue to sift through the debris left by Israeli airstrikes. According to Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Thursday's attacks came without warning, killing 22 civilians and injuring another 117. Israel has not commented on these strikes.
Since Israel launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon last month in retaliation to rocket fire from Hezbollah, the conflict has only escalated. The situation along the border has been precarious since last October, when Hamas launched a deadly assault on southern Israel from Gaza, leading to an increase in hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.
UN Post Incident in Naqoura
Regarding the UNIFIL base incident on Friday, the IDF stated that the peacekeepers' post in Naqoura was located about 50 meters from the identified threat. Israeli authorities claim they had notified peacekeeping forces to stay in protected areas before the incident occurred.
In a separate development, UNIFIL reported that Israeli military vehicles had knocked down barriers at another UN site in Labbouneh, near the Israeli border. UNIFIL described the incidents as "serious developments" and a potential risk to international efforts in maintaining peace in the region.
Lebanese Prime Minister Mikati strongly condemned the attack, calling it "a crime against the international community" and urging global powers to intervene to protect peacekeepers and civilians.
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