EU condemns attack on UN peacekeeping headquarters in Lebanon

The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, has demanded accountability after Israel Defence Forces struck a watch tower at the local UN peacekeeping mission’s headquarters, injuring two peacekeepers.

He said that there is no justification for the attack on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL.

“Another line has been dangerously crossed in Lebanon: IDF shelling of @UN peacekeepers whose positions are known,” Borrell wrote on X.

“We condemn this inadmissible act, for which there is no justification.”

“The EU reiterates its full support to UNIFIL, to its UNSC-mandated mission & its troops.”

EU Chief Charles Michel also condemned the attacks by Israeli forces, and called all sides to respect international humanitarian law.

In a statement, the UN peacekeeping mission said its headquarters and nearby positions have been “repeatedly hit”.

“This morning, two peacekeepers were injured after an IDF Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall.”

“The injuries are fortunately, this time, not serious, but they remain in hospital.”

The mission added that IDF soldiers also “deliberately fired at and disabled” on-site monitoring cameras.

UNIFIL noted that the deliberate targeting of UN peacekeepers is a violation of international humanitarian law, as well of Security Council Resolution 1701, which was passed in 2006 to end hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.

“We remind the IDF and all actors of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property and to respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times.  UNIFIL peacekeepers are present in south Lebanon to support a return to stability under SC mandate.”

Israel’s ground invasion

The strike on UNIFIL’s headquarters comes amid a rapid escalation of conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

At the start of the month, Israel announced it would be launching “limited, localised and targeted” ground raids against the militant group in the south of Lebanon.

Currently there are thousands of troops active along the two countries’ roughly 100-kilometre border, according to an Israeli military official. Israel claims the aim of the operation is to bring displaced Israeli residents back home.

Since the start of the operation two weeks ago, more than 1,400 have been killed and over a million people have been displaced.

Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza in October last year. Top leaders of the militant group have repeatedly insisted that they will not agree to a ceasefire unless Israel withdraws from Gaza.

Since the start of the operation two weeks ago, more than 1,400 people have been killed and more than a million displaced.

UN Under Secretary General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacrois said the clashes in the region have put peacekeepers at “serious risk”.

“UNIFIL operational activities have virtually come to a halt since 23 September. Peacekeepers have been confined to their bases with significant periods of time in shelter,” he said. “This severe impediment to the mission’s freedom of movement within the area of operations has limited the Mission’s monitoring and reporting ability.”