Israeli tanks break through peacekeeper base — UN – DW – 10/13/2024

Oct 14, 2024

The UN's peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, said that Israeli tanks broke through the gate of a peacekeeper base. It comes after Netanyahu urged the UN to move peacekeepers out of south Lebanon. DW has the latest.

Here are the latest developments on the Israel-Lebanon escalation, Gaza and the wider Middle East region on Sunday, October 13:

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Sunday that the attacks that have injured several UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon as Israeli forces move against Hezbollah militants "may constitute a war crime."

"UNIFIL personnel and its premises must never be targeted," Guterres said in a statement, referring to the blue-helmeted international force. "Attacks against peacekeepers are in breach of international law."

At least five peacekeepers have been injured amid fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group in southern Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged the UN to move UNIFIL forces "out of harm's way" as Israel carries out its offensive in the region.

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The reported number of injuries caused by a drone strike in Binyamina has risen to more than 60, according to an Israeli volunteer rescue service. Initial reports had put the injury toll closed to 40.

"With the help of United Hatzalah ambulance teams, we provided assistance to over 60 wounded people with varying degrees of injuries — critical, serious, moderate and mild," the rescue service United Hatzalah said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.

Earlier Sunday, Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is at war with Israel, said it launched "a squadron of attack drones" at a military training camp in Binyamina, south of Haifa, in response to Israeli air strikes.

The Hezbollah militant group said it attacked an Israeli military base in the town of Binyamina in northern Israel.

In its statement, the group said it launched "a squadron of attack drones at a training camp... in Binyamina."

Israeli media earlier said that 40 people in the town were injured in a drone strike launched from Lebanon.

A drone strike hit the northern Israeli town of Binyamina, leaving at least 40 people injured, according to Israeli media.

Israeli Rescue Services said three people were injured critically.

Israeli media reported that two drones were launched from Lebanon, one of which was intercepted.

It comes a day after a drone hit a suburb of Tel Aviv, causing damage but no injuries.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told her Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, that attacks on UN peacekeepers are "unacceptable" during a phone call, according to her office.

"Prime Minister Meloni reiterated the unacceptability of UNIFIL being attacked by Israeli armed forces," the Italian government said, referring to the UN's peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon.

Meloni also called for the "full implementation" of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 on Lebanon, which was passed in 2006 and ended a war that year between Israel and Hezbollah.

Meloni also laid out Rome's position on the incidents during a summit of European and Mediterranean leaders in Cyprus.

"UNIFIL mission headquarters and two Italian bases were hit by gunfire fired by Israeli forces... It is not acceptable, it violates what is established under UN resolution 1701," she said.

At least five peacekeepers have been injured amid fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu has urged the UN to move UNIFIL forces "out of harm's way" as Israel carries out its offensive in the region.

The United States said it will send Israel an advanced anti-missile system and US troops to operate it.

US President Joe Biden said the system would serve to "defend Israel."

"It is part of the broader adjustments the US military has made in recent months, to support the defense of Israel and protect Americans from attacks by Iran and Iranian-aligned militias," Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said, referring to the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery.

Earlier on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that the Washington was putting its soldiers lives at risk by "deploying them to operate US missile systems in Israel."

In recent months, Israel has been under fire from missiles and drones launched by Iran and allied militant groups as it carries out its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

On October 1, Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel, saying it was retaliation for Israel's killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hezbollah and Hamas leaders.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) called on residents of more than 20 villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes amid its operations against the Hezbollah militant group.

"The Army does not intend to harm you. For your safety, you must evacuate your homes and relocate to the north of the Awali River," the IDF's Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The Awali River is located some 55 kilometers (34.2 miles) south of the capital, Beirut, and some 83 kilometers north of Lebanon's border with Israel.

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Israel has repeatedly called for Hezbollah to withdraw to the Litani River, located some 30 kilometers north of the border.

Since an increase in hostilities with Hezbollah since late September, Israel has issued numerous evacuation messages to residents throughout southern Lebanon and Beirut.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged one of its tanks entered a UN peacekeeper post in southern Lebanon, claiming that the vehicle was backing away from militant fire while evacuating injured soldiers.

It comes after the UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL said that two Israeli Merkavas broke through the gate of a peacekeeper base.

"An initial review showed that an IDF tank that was trying to evacuate injured soldiers while still under fire backed several meters into a UNIFIL post," the IDF said in a post on X.

"Once the enemy fire stopped, and following the evacuation of the injured soldiers, the tank left the post," it said.

"IDF soldiers maintained coordination with UNIFIL," the statement read. "Throughout the entirety of the incident, no danger was posed to UNIFIL forces by the IDF activity."

Israel has urged the UN to remove peacekeepers from southern Lebanon amid its offensive against the Hezbollah militant group.

At least five peacekeepers have been injured in recent days of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran was ready for war amid increasing tensions with Israel.

"We are fully prepared for a war situation. We are not afraid of war, but we do not want war, we want peace and we will work for a just peace in Gaza and Lebanon," he said while visiting Iraq's capital, Baghdad.

He said Iran aimed "to prevent the escalation of tension in the region and to work for peace and cease-fire" in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said Iraq was against a regional war spreading to Iran.

"The continuation of the war and its expansion towards the Islamic Republic of Iran and (Israel's) exploitation of Iraqi airspace as a corridor is completely unacceptable and rejected," he said.

Rising tensions between Israel and Iran have led to speculation that Israel could target Iranian oil and nuclear facilities. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has vowed a "surprising and deadly" attack on Iran.

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Peacekeepers belonging to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Israeli tanks broke through a gate to enter one of its positions.

"At around 4:30 a.m., while peacekeepers were in shelters, two [Israeli] Merkava tanks destroyed the position's gate and forcibly entered the position" in the Ramia area, UNIFIL said.

It said that the tanks left 45 minutes later.

The peacekeepers also reported harmful smoke in the camp caused by the firing of rounds nearby, saying that 15 troops suffered effects such as skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions. The peacekeepers are receiving treatement.

The statement said that yesterday Israeli soldiers "stopped a critical UNIFIL logistical movement near Mais al-Jabal, denying it passage."

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati criticized Israel's calls for peacekeepers belonging to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) be removed from southern Lebanon.

Lebanon "condemns [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's position and the Israeli aggression against UNIFIL," Mikati said.

He made the statement after Netanyahu urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to "get the UNIFIL forces out of harm's way."

At least five peacekeepers have been wounded in recent days in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

"The warning that Netanyahu address to… Guterres demanding the removal of the UNIFIL represents a new chapter in the enemy's approach of not complying with international" norms, Mikati said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on the United Nations to evacuate peacekeepers from combat areas in southern Lebanon.

"Mr Secretary General, get the UNIFIL forces out of harm's way. It should be done right now, immediately," Netanyahu said in a video shared by his office on Sunday.

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said Israeli forces had asked UNIFIL several times to leave but it had "met with repeated refusals."

At least five members of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have been wounded in recent days amid fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

"We regret the injuring of UNIFIL soldiers and we are doing everything in our power to prevent this injuring," Netanyahu said. "But the simple and obvious way to ensure this is simply to get them out of the danger zone."

Iran's foreign minister said there would be "no red lines" for the country when it comes to defending its people.

"While we have made tremendous efforts in recent days to contain an all-out war in our region, I say it clearly that we have no red lines in defending our people and interests," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on social media.

His comments came ahead of an anticipated Israeli retaliation for Iran's recent missile attack.

Pope Francis called for for United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon to be "respected," after they accused Israel's military of deliberately firing on their positions.

"I am close to all the people involved, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, where I ask that the UN peacekeepers be respected," Francis said at the Vatican.

The pope's comments come after the UNIFIL peacekeeping force said in recent days that its troops have repeatedly come under fire in the Lebanese town of Naqura where it is headquartered, as well as in other positions. Five UNIFIL personnel have been injured.

UNIFIL, which involves about 9,500 troops of some 50 nationalities, is tasked with, among other things, monitoring a cease-fire that ended the 33-day 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Pope Francis also called once again "for an immediate cease-fire on all fronts that the paths of diplomacy and dialogue be pursued to achieve peace."

Hezbollah said it clashed with Israeli troops near the village of Ramia in southern Lebanon on Sunday.

The Lebanese group said its fighters detonated explosive devices at Israeli soldiers and "clashed with them as they attempted to infiltrate" the village.

The group also claimed to have carried out attacks on Israeli troops elsewhere near the border.

Israel's military said it is continuing to dismantle "terrorist infrastructure" in southern Lebanon.

"Over the past day, the IAF [Israeli Air Force] has struck approximately 200 Hezbollah targets deep in Lebanon and southern Lebanon, including terrorist cells, launchers, anti-tank missile posts, and terrorist infrastructure sites," it said.