Israeli Drone Strike Suspected in Attack on UN Peacekeepers

In a concerning development, three United Nations observers and a translator sustained injuries in southern Lebanon’s Rmeish area due to shelling, reported the UN peacekeeping mission. The incident occurred amidst escalating tensions along the unofficial Israel-Lebanon border.

Lebanon’s state news agency pointed fingers at an Israeli drone strike as the cause of the explosion, although the Israeli military refuted these claims. Meanwhile, the UN mission, known as Unifil, assured that the injured individuals were receiving medical treatment while they investigate the source of the blast.

The shelling occurred near the UN-demarcated Blue Line separating southern Lebanon from Israel, where the peacekeepers were conducting a foot patrol. Unifil strongly condemned the targeting of its personnel, deeming it “unacceptable.”

Details regarding the nationality of the observers and their current condition remain undisclosed. However, reports suggest that the Lebanese translator injured in the incident is in stable condition.

Lebanon’s National News Agency attributed the attack to Israeli drones, but Israel’s military denied any involvement. According to the IDF, there was no strike on a Unifil vehicle in the Rmeish area.

Tensions have been on the rise along the Israel-Lebanon border, with both sides exchanging fire in recent days. The conflict intensified following the outbreak of violence between Israel and Gaza, prompting Israel’s Defense Minister to declare a shift in strategy towards actively targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Amidst international scrutiny over civilian casualties in Gaza, Israel admitted to killing two Palestinian men in separate incidents, as shown in a video released by Al Jazeera. The IDF stated that the men approached their forces in a suspicious manner and failed to respond to warning shots.

As tensions persist in the region, the situation remains volatile, with concerns mounting over further escalation and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza reaching critical levels.