Hezbollah fighting Israeli troops near Lebanon’s Ramiya village; third UN peacekeeper wounded
Israel faces condemnation after UN peacekeepers came under fire as Israeli forces stepped up attacks in Gaza and Lebanon.
Hezbollah said on Sunday it was fighting Israeli forces trying to infiltrate Ramiya village in southern Lebanon, as a third UN peacekeeper was wounded in Israel’s escalating conflict with the Iran-backed Lebanese group.
Israeli strikes have shaken the peacekeepers’ main base in southern Lebanon, prompting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Western countries to condemn the attacks. The UNIFIL force called it a “serious development” and said the security of UN personnel and property must be guaranteed.
France summoned Israel’s ambassador and issued a statement with Italy and Spain calling such attacks “unjustifiable”.
Israel’s military said it continues to operate in southern Lebanon to dismantle “terrorist infrastructure”.
“Over the past day, the IAF [air force] has struck approximately 200 Hezbollah targets deep in Lebanon and southern Lebanon, including terrorist cells, launchers, anti-tank missile posts, and terrorist infrastructure sites,” it said.
US President Joe Biden said he was asking Israel not to hit the UNIFIL forces. Russia said it was “outraged” and demanded Israel refrain from “hostile actions” against peacekeepers.
