LAST UPDATE | 29 Oct

A ROCKET HAS hit the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon which the battalion believe was fired by militant group Hezbollah or its affiliates.

In a statement, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said some of its peacekeeping force received minor injuries as a result of the blast this afternoon at its base in Naqoura.

Up to 12 Irish peacekeepers are stationed at the headquarters. The Irish Defence Forces has confirmed all of its members in Lebanon are safe and well.

It is understood that up to four peacekeepers received minor injuries after the attack. An investigation has been launched by UNFIL and initial probes suggest the rocket hit the headquarters following a malfunction.

The statement details the blast came from the north, where Hezbollah and other rebel groups are based.

It is likely the rocket was targeting Israeli positions along the southern border of Lebanon, where fighting has been taking place between Hezbollah and the military since last month.

Statement:

This afternoon a rocket hit UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, setting a vehicle workshop on fire. Peacekeepers were not in bunkers at the time. While some peacekeepers suffered minor injuries, fortunately no one was seriously injured. pic.twitter.com/MuJ1sOEnQR

— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) October 29, 2024

UNIFIL reminded Hezbollah and other militias in Lebanon to adhere to international law, which bans deliberate attacks on peacekeepers’ positions.

“Any deliberate attack on them is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and of Resolution 1701,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

This is one of the many incidents in recent weeks where UNIFIL peacekeepers have been caught in the crossfire between Hezbollah and the Israeli military as Israel continues its offensive against the militant group in Lebanon.

The Israeli military fired at a United Nations observation post in Lebanon again last week.

Separately, peacekeepers reported three incidents of unidentified fire impacting UNIFIL positions, teams and vehicles this week, adding no peacekeepers were hurt but calling the security situation “extremely challenging”.

Earlier this month, Israeli tanks destroyed the entrance to a peacekeepers’ camp in Lebanon and “forcibly entered” the position in what Unifil called “shocking violations”. Ghanaian troops were injured in the incident, but Irish soldiers were unharmed at the time.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for peacekeepers to retreat if they want to stay out of “harm’s way”. 

The UN’s Security Council – the only authority with the ability to end UNIFIL missions – has said the battalions will complete its mandate. Israeli attacks on peacekeepers and calls for them to retreat have been widely denounced by international leaders.

Additional reporting by Niall O’Connor