UN: Israeli Forces Fire on UN Peacekeepers in South Lebanon
The UN's peacekeeping mission in south Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Thursday that Israeli forces fired at its headquarters in Naqoura and nearby positions, injuring two peacekeepers from Indonesia after an Israeli Merkava tank fired at an observation tower....
Facts
- The UN's peacekeeping mission in south Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Thursday that Israeli forces fired at its headquarters in Naqoura and nearby positions, injuring two peacekeepers from Indonesia after an Israeli Merkava tank fired at an observation tower.[1][2]
- A Western diplomatic official said that the tank fire was likely to be condemned at the UN Security Council. UNIFIL added in its statement that Israeli troops 'deliberately fired at and disabled' monitoring cameras at position 1-31 in Labbouneh, and 'deliberately fired on' position 1-32A in Ras Naqoura on Wednesday.[3][1]
- Before the incident, Hezbollah claimed to have targeted Israeli forces with missiles as they advanced to Ras al-Naqoura. Earlier this week, Israeli forces took positions close to Irish peacekeepers' base near Maroun al-Ras but eventually withdrew.[4][5][6]
- In Gaza, Israel's offensive against Jabalia in the north continued on Thursday, with a member of the local civil defense saying that Kamal Adwan and al-Awda Hospitals are continuing to operate despite warnings from Israel to evacuate.[7]
- On Wednesday, Al Jazeera camera operator Fadi al-Wahidi was shot by Israeli forces while reporting from Jabalia refugee camp. The war has been the deadliest conflict for journalists in recent decades, with at least 128 being killed — 123 of whom Palestinian — since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7.[8][9]
- Separately, the UN children’s agency (UNICEF) said on Thursday that additional area-specific humanitarian pauses in Gaza have been agreed upon to facilitate a second round of polio vaccinations targeting 590K children under the age of 10 across Gaza. Israel has not yet commented on the announcement.[10]
Sources: [1]UNIFIL, [2]Jakartaglobe, [3]Timesofisrael (a), [4]Reuters, [5]BBC News, [6]TheJournal.ie, [7]Al Jazeera (a), [8]Al Jazeera (b), [9]Committee to Protect Journalists and [10]Timesofisrael (b).
Narratives
- Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by New York Times. Though the situation in the region continues to escalate, the US has stood firm in its role as a mediator. Israel has every right to respond to the daily terror attacks it has seen since Oct. 7. However, it is in no one's interest for tensions to explode into a wider regional war. The US will continue to work toward regional stability.
- Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. Israel is fighting an existential multi-front war, yet the US and its media refuse to give Israel a fair shake. As Israel battles Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza while mulling how to respond to a direct Iranian attack, the US is working to restrict Israel's actions by meddling in its internal politics. Israel must make clear to the US that it will take whatever action it deems necessary.
- Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. Israel's aggressive posture only demonstrates that it is a rogue state that would rather light the region on fire than stop its genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and its destruction of Lebanon. Netanyahu continues to engage in provocative acts because he has failed to achieve his political and military objectives. While Netanyahu extends the war to ensure his political survival, the US continues to support Israel with a blank check and obfuscate its role in the carnage.
