Israel hits UN peacekeepers base in Lebanon, nations call for accountability

22 killed in airstrikes in central Beirut...See P8

New explosions hit the headquarters of the United Nations peacekeeping force (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon on Friday morning, injuring two peacekeepers, a day after Israeli forces struck the same position.

The attacks further escalated tensions as Israel continued its military campaign against Hezbollah, leading to international condemnation.

The explosions occurred near an observation tower at UNIFIL's headquarters in the town of Naqoura, located close to Lebanon's southern border with Israel. UNIFIL, which has more than 10,000 peacekeepers stationed in the region, reported that one of the injured peacekeepers was transported to a hospital in Tyre, while the other was treated on-site. The peacekeepers' nationalities were not immediately disclosed, though it was confirmed that both were from Sri Lanka. The exact cause of the blasts remains unclear.

The Israeli military acknowledged that its forces had opened fire at a UN base in southern Lebanon on Thursday, as part of ongoing operations against Hezbollah militants.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed they had issued warnings to the peacekeepers to remain in protected areas hours before the strike.

An Israeli army bulldozer also reportedly damaged the perimeter of another UNIFIL position in southern Lebanon, with Israeli tanks seen moving nearby.

In response, additional peacekeepers were deployed to reinforce the position. UNIFIL said it was forced to rearrange some of its personnel in the aftermath of Thursday’s attacks.