The Israeli Ambassador in Rome has been summoned to the Foreign Ministry for clarification regarding the shelling of UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon

Israeli Ambassador to Rome Alon Bar was summoned to the Italian Foreign Ministry for an explanatory conversation regarding the IDF shelling of UNIFIL peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, which injured two soldiers.

Earlier on Thursday, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced that on the morning of October 10, two peacekeepers from the mission were injured as a result of Israeli shelling.

UNIFIL said in a statement: “This morning, two peacekeepers were injured after an Israeli Merkava tank fired at a UNIFIL observation tower in the town of Naqura.” According to this report, the peacekeepers were injured in a fall from the tower and were taken to hospital with minor to moderate injuries.

UNIFIL said the IDF had previously carried out multiple strikes on the Al-Naqura headquarters and surrounding sites. At the same time, the peacekeepers do not mention that the border area, which they are supposed to control, is used by Hezbollah militants and other terrorist groups who fire at targets in Israel.

Let us recall that before the start of the ground operation in Lebanon, Israel appealed to the Lebanese government, the Lebanese population and the UNIFIL command to leave the combat zone. The Lebanese army has withdrawn north of the Litani River and civilians have fled villages in the southern part of the country, but the command of the UN peacekeeping contingent in southern Lebanon said that UNIFIL troops would remain in their positions in the border area, despite Israel’s call.

“On September 30, the IDF informed UNIFIL of an upcoming limited ground operation in southern Lebanon and demanded that we abandon our positions. Peacekeepers remained in place and the UN flag continued to fly,” the statement said.