Military Space News
WAR REPORT
UN says four staff wounded in south Lebanon blast
UN says four staff wounded in south Lebanon blast
by AFP Staff Writers
Beirut (AFP) Mar 30, 2024

United Nations peacekeepers said three military observers and a translator were wounded Saturday in a blast in southern Lebanon, where Israel and the Hezbollah movement trade frequent cross-border fire.

Peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol the so-called Blue Line, the border demarcated by the UN in 2000 when Israeli troops pulled out of southern Lebanon.

The UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) supports the peacekeeping mission.

Three UNTSO "military observers and one Lebanese language assistant on a foot patrol along the Blue Line were injured when an explosion occurred near their location", UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said in a statement.

The wounded were "evacuated for medical treatment" and UNIFIL is "investigating the origin of the explosion", Tenenti added.

"Safety and security of UN personnel must be guaranteed," the statement said, urging "all actors to cease the current heavy exchanges of fire before more people are unnecessarily hurt".

Israel and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement have exchanged near-daily fire since Palestinian militant group Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, triggering war in Gaza.

Hezbollah, which has a powerful arsenal of rockets and missiles, says its attacks on Israel are in support of Hamas.

Norway's defence ministry said a Norwegian UN observer was "lightly injured" and had been admitted to hospital.

"The circumstances surrounding the attack are unclear," defence ministry spokesperson Hanne Olafsen told Norwegian news agency NTB.

UNIFIL's Tenenti told AFP that the other two observers were from Australia and Chile, adding that all four wounded were in "stable" condition.

- 'Dangerous incident' -

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said an "enemy (Israeli) drone" raided the Rmeish area of southern Lebanon where the UNTSO observers were wounded.

The Israeli army told AFP in a statement: "We did not strike in the area."

Tenenti emphasised: "All actors have a responsibility under international humanitarian law to ensure protection to non-combatants, including peacekeepers, journalists, medical personnel and civilians."

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned what he called a "dangerous incident".

Lebanon's foreign ministry said the attack was "in violation of international law".

Cross-border fire since October has killed at least 347 people in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters, but also at least 68 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

The fighting has displaced tens of thousands of people in southern Lebanon and in northern Israel, where the military says 10 soldiers and eight civilians have been killed.

An uptick in deadly exchanges in recent days has fuelled concerns of an all-out conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, who last fought a war in 2006.

UNTSO was set up after the 1948 war that accompanied Israel's creation to monitor armistice agreements reached with its Arab neighbours.

It also assists other UN peacekeeping operations in the region, including UNIFIL, which was established after Israel's 1978 invasion of south Lebanon and expanded following the 2006 war.

burs-lg/kir

Related Links
Space War News

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
WAR REPORT
When NATO went to war with Yugoslavia
Paris (AFP) Mar 24, 2024
Twenty-five years ago, on March 24, 1999 NATO launched 11 weeks of air strikes on Yugoslavia to force it to end its bloody crackdown on separatists in Kosovo. It was the first time NATO had attacked a sovereign state in its 50-year history and remains a source of deep resentment both in Serbia, home of the former Yugoslav capital Belgrade, as well as in fellow Slavic ally Russia. Here's what you need to know about the US-led campaign: - Why did NATO bomb Serbia? Europe was still reeling ... read more

WAR REPORT
Northrop Grumman spearheads Missile Defense innovation with solid rocket motor advancements

Northrop Grumman's Target Launch Elevates U.S. Missile Defense Testing

'Still not covering the skies': Kyiv calls for air defenses after 4 killed in attacks

Germany Boosts Air Defense with $1.2 Billion Purchase of RTX's Raytheon Patriot Systems

WAR REPORT
Polish minister says NATO discussing shooting down Russian missile incursions

Five injured in Russian missile attack on Kyiv

Poland scrambles air force after Russian missile breaches air space in Ukraine attack

Ten wounded in Russian missile attack on Kyiv

WAR REPORT
Drones adapt mid-mission with revolutionary software integration

Black Sea fleet unleashes waves of drones on Ukraine after strike on Russian navy

Mira Aerospace and VEDA Aeronautics Partner to Launch Specialized HAPS Technology in India

Cheap drones 'cannot match' artillery power in Ukraine: experts

WAR REPORT
Eutelsat and Intelsat forge $500M partnership to expand OneWeb constellation

Satellites for quantum communications

Antaris and SpeQtral Unveil Quantum Encryption Satellite Collaboration

L3Harris Delivers Next-Gen SATCOM Solutions to US Army

WAR REPORT
US says Israel has made assurances on use of weapons

France to provide armoured vehicles, missiles to Ukraine

Firefighters douse blaze at exploded Jakarta ammo depot

Germany, France cite 'breakthrough' on battle tank project

WAR REPORT
Report: Biden administration makes new arms transfer to Israel

Israel's war budget leaves top scientists in limbo

Franco-German defence group KNDS to produce arms in Ukraine

EU states tell bloc's bank to lend more for defence; Russian asset profits to pay for Ukraine

WAR REPORT
Marcos says Philippines will not be 'cowed into silence' by China

From Cold War to the Ukraine war: NATO at 75

NATO at 75 is stronger -- but also under threat

France wants 'clear message' from China to Russia over Ukraine war

WAR REPORT
Researchers unveil novel technique for creating atomically thin nanoscrolls

MIT.nano equipment to accelerate innovation in "tough tech" sectors

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.