“Upon realizing they were being observed, the IDF soldiers fired at the post,” UNIFIL said of the incident.
Israeli soldiers attacked UN peacekeepers at an observation post in south Lebanon who were observing the military’s nearby raids, the UN said Friday, as Israeli forces appear to be targeting people documenting their assault on the country.
In a statement, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said that peacekeepers were at a permanent observation post near Dhayra on Tuesday, watching as Israeli forces conducted “house clearing operations” in the area.
“Upon realizing they were being observed, the IDF soldiers fired at the post. The duty guards withdrew to avoid being shot,” the group said.
UNIFIL noted that Israeli forces have repeatedly demanded that peacekeepers in south Lebanon leave their posts and have “deliberately damaged camera, lighting, and communications equipment” in UN positions. “Despite the pressure being exerted on the mission and our troop-contributing countries, peacekeepers remain in position and on task. We will continue to undertake our mandated tasks to monitor and report,” the group said.