Two UN peacekeepers wounded by Israeli strike in Lebanon

Two U.N. peacekeepers were injured on Friday by an Israeli strike near their watchtower in south Lebanon, the Israeli military said.

Meanwhile, blasts shook the peacekeepers’ main base in the area for the second time in 48 hours as Israeli forces battled Hezbollah.

The UNIFIL force called the incident a “serious development” and emphasized the importance of guaranteeing the security of U.N. personnel and property.

Following the events, France summoned Israel’s ambassador, and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that he had urged his Israeli counterpart to ensure the safety of UNIFIL forces in Lebanon.

Russia also expressed outrage and demanded that Israel refrain from “hostile actions” against the peacekeepers.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had already condemned the attacks on U.N. personnel.

In response, the Israeli military expressed “deep concern” and noted that two peacekeepers had been injured by Israeli fire during engagement with Hezbollah.

They added that the peacekeepers had been warned hours earlier to take shelter.

The United Nations confirmed that both injured peacekeepers were from Sri Lanka.

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah erupted one year ago when the Iranian-backed group began launching rockets at northern Israel in support of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, at the start of the Gaza war.

It has intensified in recent weeks, with Israel bombing southern Lebanon, Beirut’s southern suburbs and the Bekaa Valley, killing many of Hezbollah’s top leaders, and sending ground troops across the border. Hezbollah for its part has fired rockets deeper into Israel.

Overnight, 22 people were killed and 139 wounded in a strike in the heart of Beirut, caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati said. Lebanon’s army said two soldiers were killed and three others wounded when Israeli forces attacked one of its military posts in Kafra in the south.

Israel says its campaign in Lebanon aims to make northern Israel safe for tens of thousands of people forced to leave over the last year by Hezbollah rocket fire.

Its expanded operation has displaced more than 1.2 million people, according to the Lebanese government, which says more than 2,100 people have been killed and more than 10,000 wounded in over a year of fighting. The toll does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but includes scores of women and children.

Hezbollah rockets have killed at least 54 people in Israel, more than half civilians, according to Israeli authorities.

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