The alert had been very high for days, even before Israel decided to enter its troops into Lebanon on September 29th. The order for the UNIFIL soldiers, deployed along the Blue Line on the border, was to remain protected and not leave the bases, but to continue to guard their positions, despite repeated warnings from the IDF to move to facilitate its operations. actions against Hezbollah. Even the leaders of the Party of God had ordered their militiamen not to endanger the peacekeepers.
But the danger came precisely from the Israeli army which “deliberately” targeted the UN peacekeeping force: in its headquarters in Naqura, where two Indonesian soldiers were injured, and the two Italian bases 1-31 and 1-32A.
Italy’s reaction was immediate, with approximately 1,200 soldiers fielding the largest UNIFIL contingent. “Inadmissible”, commented Prime Minister Giorgia Meloniin contact with Guido Crosetto who summoned the designated ambassador of Israel, Jonathan Peled, to express the indignation and protest of the government and the entire country. And to remind him that “neither the UN nor Italy takes orders from Israel”, which continues to order the peacekeepers to withdraw.
According to the reconstruction of Unifil spokesperson, Andrea Tenenti, this morning an IDF Merkava tank “fired towards an observation tower at the Naqura headquarters”, hitting it and causing the two peacekeepers who were injured to fall. “The injuries are fortunately, this time, not serious, but they remain in hospital,” he added. The Israeli army then struck the Unp 1-31 position, after repeatedly flying over the base with a drone, hitting the entrance to the bunker where the Italian peacekeepers had taken refuge, military intelligence sources also confirmed to ANSA Lebanese.
Even after the attack, Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, “recommended” peacekeepers “move 5 km north to avoid danger as fighting intensifies and as the situation along the Blue Line remains unstable in cause of Hezbollah’s aggression”. An invitation which, despite the attempt to accuse the Lebanese militiamen, after what happened sounds more like a threat. And which, once again, Unifil nevertheless rejected.
The contingent is determined to resist: “At this moment the only thing we can do is protect ourselves. We remain in our bases to do our duty, within the perimeter of our security, as long as we are allowed by the UN and the Defense”, Italian military sources said. Condemnations also came from the EU and other countries that contribute to UNIFIL, such as Spain (there were also 49 Spaniards in the attacked positions) and France which reminded Israel of “the duty to protect the blue helmets”.
Rome and Paris have decided, after a conversation between Crosetto and the Frenchman Sebastien Lecornu, to bring together the European countries participating in the mission in a video conference for next week. The United States also expressed “concern”. Meanwhile, fighting between the Israeli army and Hezbollah continues in southern Lebanon: the IDF announces that it has killed two commanders of the pro-Iranian militias and has hit weapons depots in Beirut and in the south of the country.
The Party of God instead claims to have hit Israeli tanks in the south, right along the demarcation line between the two countries. New Israeli raids are also reported in the center of the Lebanese capital with numerous victims. According to local authorities, the toll since the fighting began has risen to 2,169 dead and over 10,000 wounded.
For further information Agenzia ANSA The story of the attack: ‘I was under the turret, they aimed at us. Drones and tanks against the bases’ – News – Ansa.it “The soldiers of the Israeli army deliberately shot and deactivated some cameras” specifies the spokesperson of the Mission Andrea Tenenti (ANSA) For further information Agenzia ANSA THE NEWS OF THE DAY – Israel asks Unifil to move 5 km, UN forces reject the request – LIVE – News – Ansa.it EU condemnation. The Israeli army: ‘Two Hezbollah commanders eliminated’. Next week meeting of Unifil contributing countries (ANSA)