UN in Lebanon After international criticism for shelling soldiers, Israel defends itself: Hezbollah uses blue helmet mission as cover. Prime Minister Netanyahu has called for the withdrawal of UN troops from the war zone.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to take action after several UN peacekeepers were injured in Lebanon. “Mr. General, remove the UNIFIL forces from the danger zone,” Netanyahu said in a video released by his office. “It has to happen now.”
Israel regrets if UN soldiers are injured. “It is time for UNIFIL to withdraw from Hezbollah’s strongholds and war zones,” the Israeli leader said. He accused Guterres of refusing to do so, thereby making UNIFIL soldiers “hostages of Hezbollah”.
Gallant: Hezbollah uses UN mission as cover
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had earlier commented for the first time on allegations that Israeli troops fired on peacekeepers in southern Lebanon. In a telephone conversation with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Gallant said Hezbollah was fighting near peacekeeper bases and using them as cover for terrorist operations.
Despite this difficult situation, the Israeli military will continue to try to prevent UN peacekeepers from being injured. An investigation is underway into the incidents over the past few days, in which five peacekeepers have been injured, according to the UN.
Strong criticism of Israel
Two soldiers were wounded Thursday when Israeli troops shelled the UN headquarters in Nakura, the UN said. Two more people were injured in the blast that took place near the observation post yesterday. According to the UN, a blue helmet soldier was hit by gunfire in the evening.
These incidents drew international condemnation. The 40 countries involved in the operation, including Germany, called on parties to the conflict to ensure the safety of emergency services at all times. UNIFIL’s mission is to stabilize and bring peace to southern Lebanon and the entire Middle East. The mission is particularly important given the escalating situation in the region, the countries wrote in the joint statement.
Heavy fighting between Israel and Hezbollah
Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops clashed again today in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah said Israeli soldiers tried to enter the border town of Ramjah. Militia fighters detonated explosives near the troops.
The Israeli army asked residents of 21 other Lebanese towns to leave. Also, in a separate fight, one soldier and one officer were seriously injured, the army said.
Four divisions have so far been involved in Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon. Israel has kept secret the strength and number of troops occupying the neighboring country. So far they appear to have crossed or attempted to cross the demarcation line at four different points along the border – one of these areas being around Nakura on the Mediterranean coast, where UNIFIL has its headquarters.
Israel’s response to Iran
Defense Secretaries Gallant and Austin discussed Iran during their call. This is primarily about the threat posed by Iran and their proxies in Yemen, Syria and Iraq. It remains unclear how, when and where Israel will respond to Iran’s October 1 attack with about 200 ballistic missiles. According to reports, the order may come anytime.
Israeli media reports that Israel is also in talks to supply THAAD, the state-of-the-art US anti-aircraft system. It is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles at a range of 200 kilometers. If granted, the system would be the first to be used in an emergency in Israel.
With information from Betina Meier, ARD Studio Tel Aviv
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