Eight injured in new attack on UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) says eight of its peacekeepers were injured after a rocket, likely fired by Hezbollah or an affiliated group, struck its headquarters in southern Lebanon.

“A rocket hit UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura and set fire to a vehicle workshop,” the force said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that the rocket “was fired from the north of UNIFIL headquarters, probably by Hezbollah or an affiliated group ”.

The Austrian Federal Ministry of Defense said the attack injured right-wing Austrian soldiers, condemned the attack and added that it was “currently not possible to say where the attack came from”.

“Eight Austrian army soldiers from the UNIFIL contingent were injured by a rocket hit at Naqoura camp today at 12:58 pm (22:58 GMT); none of them seriously,” the statement said.

The injuries were “minor and superficial,” with none of the soldiers, who are members of a repair platoon, requiring emergency medical attention, the statement said.

“We condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms and demand that it be immediately investigated,” Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner said in the statement.

“All parties are called upon to immediately guarantee the safety of all UN peacekeepers. “It cannot and will not be tolerated that UN peacekeepers are intentionally or accidentally endangered,” she added.

Austria contributes about 180 soldiers to the 10,000-strong force. They are part of a “Multi Role Logistic Unit” that performs tasks such as transporting goods and personnel, repairing vehicles, delivering fuel and extinguishing fires.

UNIFIL has suffered a series of attacks on its peacekeepers in recent weeks. The Israeli government has demanded that UNIFIL leave its positions in southern Lebanon, but the UN continues to insist the mission is going nowhere.

‘No leadership vacuum’

UNIFIL positions have been attacked at least 20 times since Israel’s ground invasion of Lebanon began in early October, including by direct fire and an incident on October 13 when two Israeli tanks burst through the gates of a UNIFIL base, the UN said. Israeli forces also fired on several UNIFIL positions on the front line.

Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire since the Lebanese armed group fired rockets into Israel on October 8, 2023, in what they said was “solidarity” with Palestinians in Gaza. The Israeli military dramatically escalated the conflict last month, killing much of the group’s leadership, unleashing a brutal bombardment on Lebanon and sending ground troops into the south of the country.

Israel has said it plans to dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure and end cross-border attacks that have driven tens of thousands of people from their homes in Israel’s north.

The attack on UN peacekeepers comes amid intense ground fighting between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli soldiers in border areas after Israeli attacks on the eastern Bekaa Valley killed more than 60 people, Lebanese officials said.

According to the Lebanese National News Agency, many of the dead were in Baalbek province.

Baalbek Mayor Bachir Khodr described the strikes as “the most violent day in Baalbek since the beginning of the aggression.” In a post on X, he said people were trapped under the rubble.

Since the escalation began, more than 2,700 Lebanese have been killed and 1.2 million others displaced.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Israeli army claimed it had destroyed a Hezbollah “command center” and another bunker storing explosives in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, said it fired rockets and artillery at Israeli forces southeast of the southern city of Khiam, the deepest point the group has recognized as Israeli forces operating in Lebanon since ground operations began.

The group also announced that Naim Qassem will succeed slain leader Hassan Nasrallah as secretary general of Hezbollah.

In a statement on Tuesday, Hezbollah said Qassem was chosen because of his “adherence to Hezbollah’s principles and objectives.”

Ali Rizk, a Beirut-based security and political analyst, said the decision shows the group is rebuilding after the assassination of several top leaders.

“This would have the effect of somewhat raising the morale of Hezbollah’s supporters. It would also be a message to Hezbollah’s enemies: there is no leadership vacuum and everything is going smoothly and Hezbollah is rebuilding,” Rizk told Al Jazeera.