Stop shooting at UN peacekeepers in Lebanon -US to Israel

US President Joe Biden has strongly urged Israel to cease fire on UN peacekeepers amid its conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, following two incidents within 48 hours.

On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged responsibility for an incident that injured two Sri Lankan UN soldiers in Lebanon. According to the IDF, troops near the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) base in Naqoura opened fire after identifying a threat, and the incident is under investigation.

The day before, two Indonesian UN soldiers were injured when they fell from an observation tower, which was struck by Israeli tank fire.

Leaders from France, Italy, and Spain condemned Israel’s actions, calling them unjustifiable and demanding an immediate halt. Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry also expressed strong condemnation regarding the attack on its soldiers.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, head of UN peacekeeping, noted that some fire on UN positions in southern Lebanon appeared direct, citing damage to cameras and a tower as evidence.

As Israel’s military operations in southern Lebanon persist, exchanges of fire continue between the IDF and Hezbollah. The IDF reported detecting around 100 rockets fired from Lebanon into northern Israel in a brief period on Friday, along with UAV incursions.

The Lebanese health ministry reported that three people, including a two-year-old girl, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Sidon, while two Lebanese soldiers died in an attack on an army post.

In Beirut, emergency workers are still searching through debris from Israeli airstrikes, which the Lebanese Prime Minister described as unprovoked attacks that resulted in civilian casualties.

Israel launched a ground invasion into southern Lebanon last month, responding to rocket fire from Hezbollah. Since last October, cross-border fire has escalated following a deadly attack by Hamas in Israel.

The IDF stated that the UN post hit in Naqoura was approximately 164 feet from the identified threat, claiming peacekeepers were advised to stay in secure areas at that time. Unifil reported that Israeli military vehicles had damaged barriers at another site.

The situation is described as a “serious development” by Unifil. The Lebanese Prime Minister condemned the attacks as crimes against the international community.

Israel contends that Unifil has failed to stabilize the region and has requested that peacekeepers move north to facilitate its military operations against Hezbollah. The Israeli ambassador to the UN reiterated this call, but UN officials stated that peacekeepers would remain in their current positions.

About 10,000 peacekeepers from 50 countries are in Lebanon, alongside 800 civilian staff, tasked with monitoring the area between the Litani River and the UN-recognized boundary, known as the “Blue Line.”

Hezbollah has stated it began firing rockets into northern Israel in solidarity with Palestinians after the October attack by Hamas. The group claims it will cease fire if a truce is established between Israel and Hamas.

In recent weeks, Israel has intensified its military actions against Hezbollah, resulting in significant casualties and displacement in Lebanon. The situation in Gaza has also deteriorated, with reports of airstrikes leading to numerous fatalities and a humanitarian crisis in the Jabalia refugee camp, where evacuation orders coincide with ongoing attacks.

Doctors Without Borders has highlighted the dire situation in Jabalia, stating thousands are trapped without access to essential supplies, while local hospital officials warn of imminent shortages of medical resources.