Israel’s fire on peacekeepers sparks global condemnation, outcry

Israel has faced backlash and a series of condemnations after it fired on positions of the United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon, UNIFIL, with the second such event unfolding on Oct. 11 in the latest escalation.

U.N. peacekeepers said Israeli fire on their headquarters in south Lebanon on Oct. 10 left two Blue Helmets injured, sparking condemnation from European members of the mission.

Israel said it was targeting Hezbollah militants near U.N. posts in an operation that came after the peacekeeping mission rejected Israeli demands to "relocate" from some of its positions.

"This morning, two peacekeepers were injured after an IDF Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL's headquarters in Naqura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall," the force said. The two peacekeepers did not suffer serious injuries, "but they remain in hospital," it added.

On Oct. 11, Lebanon's official National News Agency said an Israeli "Merkava tank targeted one of the UNIFIL towers on the main road linking Tyre and Naqura," wounding personnel from a Sri Lankan battalion.

According to UNIFIL, the Israeli military also hit another position in Ras Naqura, further to the south.

The peacekeeping force said it hit "the entrance to the bunker where peacekeepers were sheltering, and damaging vehicles and a communications system."

An IDF drone was observed flying inside the U.N. position up to the bunker entrance, it said.

In a written statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said, "Israel's targeting of U.N. forces after its massacres of civilians in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon is a manifestation of the perception that every step it takes goes unpunished."

"The international community is obliged to...