The Israeli navy, which has hit UNIFIL positions a number of instances, denies duty regardless of footage.
United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon have reported one other Israeli assault on their positions as floor and air assaults on Lebanon proceed to say lives.
The UN Interim Power in Lebanon (UNIFIL) stated on Friday that two Israeli navy excavators and one bulldozer had destroyed a part of a fence and a concrete construction at a UN base in Ras Naqoura a day earlier.
The Israeli navy denied any exercise after UN forces contacted it to protest, regardless of UNIFIL publishing footage of the incident on-line.
The Israeli navy’s “deliberate and direct destruction of clearly identifiable UNIFIL property is a flagrant violation of international law and resolution 1701”, UNIFIL stated, referring to the UN Safety Council decision geared toward ending the 2006 struggle between Israel and Hezbollah.
Assertion:
Yesterday, two IDF excavators and one IDF bulldozer destroyed a part of a fence and a concrete construction in a UNIFIL place in Ras Naqoura. In response to our pressing protest, the IDF denied any exercise was happening contained in the UNIFIL place. pic.twitter.com/gQm02hjNTG
— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) November 8, 2024
Since September 30, Israel has repeatedly demanded that UN peacekeepers vacate their internationally mandated premises so it might probably extra freely advance with its floor invasion of southern Lebanon.
The peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon has been focused 40 instances since then, UNIFIL’s deputy spokesperson Kandice Ardiel informed Al Jazeera on Friday.
Ardiel stated eight of these assaults have been confirmed to have originated from the Israeli military. Peacekeepers have been wounded and property destroyed in earlier assaults.
Israel additionally requested that UNIFIL evacuate 29 websites close to the Blue Line, the UN-delineated line of withdrawal between Israel and Lebanon, Ardiel stated. Earlier, UNIFIL stated Israeli forces have been destroying and eradicating blue barrels that mark the Blue Line.
“Yesterday’s incident, like seven other similar incidents, is not a matter of peacekeepers getting caught in the crossfire, but of deliberate and direct actions” by the Israeli navy, UNIFIL added.
UNIFIL convoys ‘at risk’
European Union international coverage chief Josep Borrell on Friday stated the bloc condemns an “incident which put at risk an UNIFIL convoy and left several peacekeepers wounded” after six Malaysian peacekeepers have been injured on Thursday by an Israeli drone strike that killed three Lebanese folks in a automotive close by.
Borrell’s assertion didn’t instantly title Israel and stated “all parties must ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and allow them to carry out their vital mission under UNIFIL’s mandate”.
In the meantime, the Israeli navy continues to push forward with its floor operation in southern Lebanon and launch air strikes throughout the nation as Hezbollah fires rockets and launches drones into Israel.
Not less than three folks have been killed and greater than 30 wounded in one of many newest Israeli assaults on Lebanon that struck two buildings within the historical metropolis of Tyre on Friday evening.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Well being introduced that at the least 15 folks have been killed and 69 wounded on Thursday on account of Israeli strikes.
Since October final 12 months, at the least 3,117 folks have been killed and 13,888 wounded by Israeli assaults in Lebanon, the ministry stated. Amongst them, 617 are girls and 192 youngsters.
The casualties embrace 180 well being employees. The ministry stated hospitals have been attacked 65 instances.
Israeli assaults are ongoing throughout the Gaza Strip as effectively, the place greater than 43,000 folks have been killed since October final 12 months, almost 70 % of them youngsters and girls, in line with the UN. That is whereas famine is looming in northern Gaza, which has been beneath siege for greater than a month.