Four Italian UN Peacekeepers Injured by Rocket Fire in Southern Lebanon

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon has reported that four of its personnel sustained injuries during a rocket assault on one of its facilities. The agency confirmed in a statement that the Italian soldiers were transported to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening, after the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) base in Shama, located in south-west Lebanon, was struck by two 122mm rockets. Unifil indicated that the rockets were likely launched by Hezbollah or groups affiliated with the armed organization. Hezbollah has not issued a comment regarding Unifil’s statement, though the group did announce that it had fired a barrage of rockets at Israeli forces situated to the west of Shama earlier on Friday. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni conveyed “profound indignation” concerning the incident, stating that such attacks were “unacceptable”. This recent attack marks the third time Unifil’s base in Shama has been targeted within a week. On Tuesday, Unifil reported that the base incurred damage from rocket fire, which it attributed to “non-state actors”. The agency further detailed that Friday’s attack impacted a bunker and a logistics area. One of the affected structures caught fire but was swiftly extinguished, according to the agency. Unifil has accused the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), and in some instances Hezbollah and its affiliates, of an increasing number of attacks on peacekeeping forces since Israel initiated a ground incursion into southern Lebanon on 30 September, targeting Hezbollah. Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in a nearly daily exchange of cross-border fire since October 2023, a period that began when Hamas fighters attacked communities in southern Israel. Israel contends that Unifil has failed to prevent Hezbollah militants from operating near the Israeli border—a key reason for the UN’s presence there—and has urged Unifil forces to vacate the area for their own safety. It also asserts that Hezbollah deliberately operates from locations situated close to Unifil positions. Unifil has refused to withdraw from its positions and has repeatedly called upon all parties to cease both direct and indirect attacks on its bases, which it has declared to be a “flagrant violation” of international law.