According to Reuters, two Israeli tanks drove straight through the gate of the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on October 13.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the United Nations to evacuate UNIFIL troops from the war zone between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Netanyahu said that UNIFIL's presence indirectly created an invisible shield for Hezbollah. However, Iran-backed forces in Lebanon immediately denied taking advantage of UNIFIL's protection.
According to UNIFIL soldiers, two Israeli Merkava tanks destroyed the main gate and began to enter before sunrise.
Shortly afterwards, multiple explosions occurred 100 metres away. Black smoke billowed out, engulfing the headquarters, causing a number of UNIFIL soldiers to suffer from smoke inhalation, including 15 who required treatment despite wearing masks. It is still unclear who was behind the artillery barrage or what type of toxic gas was used in the attack.
"Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and Resolution 1701," the UN force said.
Resolution 1701 guarantees free movement within the UNIFIL area of operations and any act of obstruction is considered a violation.
UNIFIL also accused the Israel Defense Forces of deliberately blocking a logistics convoy on October 13.
Also on October 13, a UNIFIL soldier was wounded by Israeli infantry fire targeting Hezbollah in Ramya (Lebanon). Previously, four UNIFIL soldiers were also wounded in clashes between Israel and Hezbollah on October 10 and 11.
In the face of escalating tensions in the conflict in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti warned of the potential for catastrophic consequences and serious impacts on the population.
