Beirut, Oct 11: India said on Friday that it is closely monitoring the situation in crisis-hit Lebanon following an Israeli attack that injured two United Nations (UN) peacekeepers.
The Ministry of External Affairs released a statement on Friday saying, “We are concerned at the deteriorating security situation along the Blue Line. We continue to monitor the situation closely.” The statement also highlighted the importance of respecting the inviolability of UN premises and ensuring the safety of UN peacekeepers.
On Thursday, UN peacekeepers reported that Israeli fire targeted their headquarters in southern Lebanon, resulting in injuries to two personnel. While Israel acknowledged its forces had opened fire in the area, they claimed that Hezbollah militants operate near UN posts.
The injured peacekeepers were reported to be from Indonesia, a significant contributor of troops to the UNIFIL mission. Although their injuries are not serious, they remain hospitalized.
Lebanon’s foreign ministry stated that the bombing targeted “watchtowers and the main UNIFIL base in Ras Naqura, as well as the Sri Lankan battalion’s base, leading to several injuries.” According to AFP, the official National News Agency reported that an Israeli “Merkava tank” hit one of the UNIFIL towers along the main road connecting Tyre and Naqura, injuring personnel from the Sri Lankan battalion. Additionally, “enemy forces” fired an artillery shell at the main entrance of the UNIFIL command center in Naqura, causing damage.
UNIFIL, which has around 10,000 peacekeepers stationed in southern Lebanon, has been calling for a ceasefire since a significant escalation began on September 23 between Israel and Hezbollah, following nearly a year of cross-border conflicts.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack on the peacekeeper base, labeling it a violation of international humanitarian law. “I condemn the fact that there was a shooting against a UN premise, wounding two peacekeepers, which is a violation of international humanitarian law,” he stated during a summit in Laos on Friday.
