The headquarters of UN peacekeepers and surrounding areas in southern Lebanon have faced repeated attacks amid heightened tensions along the Blue Line, according to a statement from UNIFIL on Thursday. The statement noted that two peacekeepers sustained injuries due to tank fire from Israeli forces. One UN official reported that on Wednesday, Israeli troops targeted a watchtower used by UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon with a tank shell.
While two peacekeepers from the UNIFIL force were injured during the incident at the main base in Naqoura, the injuries were not serious, the source clarified.
Soldiers “deliberately fired at and disabled” UN security cameras
There were no injuries reported in two other incidents—one occurring on Wednesday and another on Thursday—where UNIFIL positions were subjected to small arms fire from Israeli forces, as stated by the source.
In a recently released statement, the UN reports that Israeli forces have “repeatedly hit” UN positions over the past 24 hours. On Wednesday, it was reported that soldiers “deliberately fired at and disabled” UN security cameras.
An Israeli drone was also seen flying above the entrance to a bunker, where Israeli soldiers fired earlier today. The UN stated, “Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law.”
Airstrike in Gaza
In a separate incident in Gaza, an Israeli airstrike on Thursday resulted in the deaths of at least 28 Palestinians and injured dozens more who were taking refuge in a school located in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society. The attack on the Rafidah school left at least 54 Palestinians injured, as confirmed by hospital officials.
The Israeli military stated that the strike targeted people they described as terrorists operating within a command and control center on the school grounds, asserting that they had taken numerous precautions to safeguard civilians.
‘Hamas fighters were hiding in Gaza school’
This incident marks the most recent attack on a school in Gaza. Last month, an Israeli strike on a school compound near Gaza City resulted in at least 22 fatalities, predominantly among women and children, according to Palestinian reports. Israel claimed it was targeting Hamas fighters who were hiding there.
In August, local officials reported that an Israeli strike on a school and mosque in the Al-Tabi’in compound in Gaza City led to over 90 deaths, with many victims being displaced individuals. Israel acknowledged the strike, stating it aimed at a Hamas command post and eliminated several fighters.
Israel has intensified its military operations in certain areas of Gaza, claiming to target Hamas’s regrouping efforts while ordering mass evacuations in various neighborhoods throughout the enclave.
This latest airstrike comes amid reports from Gaza’s health ministry indicating that over 42,000 people have died in the territory since the onset of the conflict a year ago, following the Hamas attacks on October 7. Additionally, Israel is continuing its ground operations in Lebanon and is contemplating an assault on Iran.
Read More: Israeli Strike Kills 28 Palestinians Sheltering In Gaza School
