The United Nations and several Western nations have condemned the alleged Israeli strike that left the third U.N. peacekeeper wounded amid the heightened crisis in Lebanon.
Hezbollah fighters on Sunday claimed they repelled the Israeli military who attempted to make entry into the southern Lebanese village of Ramiya in the heat of the escalated crisis between the Iran-backed group, Hezbollah and Israel.
The Israel-Hezbollah crisis, which escalated on Saturday, led to the injury of a UN peacekeeper, making it the third to be victimized amid the conflict. The development has drawn severe concern from the international community, necessitating global leaders to react. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Western nations vehemently condemned the attack on the peacekeepers, urging Israel to halt actions against peacekeepers.
France, Italy, and Spain have called the attacks on UN forces “unjustifiable.” also, United States President Joe Biden has urged Israel to avoid targeting UNIFIL personnel. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also lent his voice and demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities against peacekeepers.
Reports suggest that Israeli airstrikes have targeted several areas in southern Lebanon for the past few days, including the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) headquarters. An earlier report on Saturday recorded that Israeli forces have escalated their operations in Gaza, which led to the death of at least 29 Palestinians. Reports also indicated that there have been persistent offensives in the Jabalia area, which has made the residents raise alarm against heavy bombardment from Israeli air and ground forces.
Similarly, Hezbollah has also intensified its launching of rockets into Israel, mandating Israel to issue new evacuation orders for towns in northern Israel and two neighbourhoods on the north edge of Gaza City. As of Saturday alone, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) recorded about 320 projectiles shot from Lebanon into Israel.
Due to the increase in Hezbollah operations and activities allegedly involving the concealment of weapons, the Israeli forces have ordered residents of 23 southern Lebanese villages to relocate northward. However, Hezbollah has denied the allegation made by the Israeli forces.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah was ignited about a year ago when the group launched a rocket attack on Israel in their effort to support Hamas at the outset of the Gaza war. Israel’s retaliation has reportedly led to the displacement of over 1.2 million people, 10,000 injured and not fewer than 2,100 losing their lives in the process. The death toll, according to Lebanon’s government, comprised of both civilians and combatants.
There is currently a high-security alert in the Middle East following an Iranian missile barrage on October 1 as they gear in retaliating against the assassination of Hezbollah leader Syed Hassan Nasrallah by Israel. On Friday night, a US-led coalition in Syria also targeted sites linked to Iran near Deir el-Zor airport.
There have been several calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza by the United States and other Western countries, but Israel is seemingly not ready to heed their calls.
