A United Nations peacekeeping base in southern Lebanon was struck, but there were no reported casualties

A United Nations peacekeeping base in southern Lebanon was struck on Saturday, fortunately without any casualties, according to the U.N. force. The force is currently investigating the origin of the attack.

The National News Agency of Lebanon reported that the position of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), located near the border opposite Metula in northern Israel, was targeted by an Israeli Merkava tank.

In response, an Israeli army spokesperson stated that they neither targeted nor hit a UNIFIL position.

Andrea Tenenti, a spokesperson for UNIFIL, confirmed that they are in the process of determining the source of the fire. He reported no casualties from the incident, but noted that it resulted in damage to a watchtower at the base.

The border region between Lebanon and Israel has experienced an increase in hostilities, primarily involving the Israeli army and Hezbollah, since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7. This escalation has raised concerns about a possible wider conflict.

An AFP count indicates that since October, over 120 individuals have been killed on the Lebanese side, mainly Hezbollah fighters, along with more than a dozen civilians.

UNIFIL, established in 1978 to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli forces following their invasion of Lebanon, was expanded after the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. With approximately 10,000 peacekeepers, UNIFIL’s main role is to monitor the ceasefire between the two parties.

UNIFIL also reported that its headquarters in southern Lebanon have been affected by shelling since the Hamas-Israel war began. Additionally, UNIFIL mentioned that last month, during a brief truce between Hamas and Israel, one of its patrols was hit by Israeli gunfire, even though the border was largely quiet at the time.