UN Observers Injured in South Blast, Lebanon Points Finger at Israel

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that an explosion in southern Lebanon on Saturday wounded three military observers and a translator amidst the ongoing cross-border hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

UNIFIL patrols the Blue Line, a border defined by the UN in 2000 after Israeli forces withdrew from southern Lebanon, with assistance from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO).

According to UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti, the incident occurred during a foot patrol along the Blue Line, resulting in the injury of three UNTSO military observers and a Lebanese translator. The injured parties were promptly evacuated for medical treatment, and UNIFIL has initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the explosion.

The statement underscored the imperative for the safety and security of UN personnel and called for an immediate cessation of the ongoing exchanges of fire to prevent further casualties.

Since the attack on southern Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7, which ignited the war in Gaza, Israel and Hezbollah have been engaging in nearly daily exchanges of fire. Hezbollah, which possesses a significant arsenal of rockets and missiles, asserts that its attacks on Israel are in solidarity with Gaza’s residents and Hamas.

Norway’s defense ministry disclosed that one of the wounded UN observers is Norwegian and has been hospitalized with minor injuries. The defense ministry spokesperson, Hanne Olafsen, conveyed to Norwegian news agency NTB that the details of the incident remain unclear.

Andrea Tenenti informed AFP that the other two injured observers hail from Australia and Chile and described all four victims as being in stable condition.

The state-run National News Agency of Lebanon attributed the incident to an Israeli drone strike in the Rmeish area of southern Lebanon, where the UN observers were wounded, though the Israeli army denied involvement in the area.

Tenenti highlighted the obligation under international humanitarian law for all parties to protect non-combatants, including peacekeepers, journalists, medical personnel, and civilians.

Lebanon’s Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the foreign ministry condemned the incident as dangerous and a breach of international law.

The conflict since October has resulted in at least 347 deaths in Lebanon, mainly among Hezbollah fighters, and at least 68 civilians, with thousands displaced in southern Lebanon and northern Israel. The recent increase in hostilities raises concerns over a potential full-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, reminiscent of their 2006 war.

UNTSO, established following the 1948 war around Israel’s creation, and UNIFIL, set up post-Israel’s 1978 invasion of south Lebanon and expanded after the 2006 conflict, are both part of ongoing efforts to monitor and maintain peace in the region.