• 15 peacekeepers suffer from skin irritation, other ailments after shelling
• Hezbollah blames Israel for using cluster bombs in southern Lebanon
• Netanyahu warns UN chief as US sends military aid to Israel

JERUSALEM: The United Nations said on Sunday Israeli tanks had burst through the gates of a base of its peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, the latest accusation of Israeli violations and attacks that have been denounced by Israel’s own allies.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the United Nations to evacuate the troops of the UNIFIL peacekeeping force from combat areas in Lebanon.

Hours later, the force reported what it described as additional Israeli violations, including two Israeli Merkava tanks destroying the main gate of a base and forcibly entering before dawn that morning.

Soon after the tanks left, shells exploded 100 metres away, releasing smoke which blew across the base and sickened UN personnel, it said.

“Despite putting on protective masks, 15 peacekeepers suffered effects, including skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions, after the smoke entered the camp,” it said, adding they were receiving treatment.

Al Jazeera reported that Israel was allegedly using cluster bombs in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah accused Israel of inundating border towns in southern Lebanon with internationally banned cluster munitions.

The Lebanese group said the Israeli military bombed the area between the towns of Hanine and Tayri with rockets loaded with banned cluster bombs.

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah militants resumed a year ago when the group began launching rockets at northern Israel in support of Hamas at the start of Israel’s war on Gaza.

Five peacekeepers have been wounded in a series of strikes in recent days, most blamed by UNIFIL on Israeli forces.

Pope Francis on Sunday asked for “respect” for UN peacekeepers in Lebanon who have accused the Israeli military of deliberately firing on their positions.

Netanyahu warns UN

Netanyahu on Sunday called on the UN chief to move UN peacekeepers deployed in southern Lebanon out of “harm’s way” after the force refused to withdraw from the border area.

“Mr Secretary General, get the UNIFIL forces out of harm’s way. It should be done right now, immediately,” Netanyahu said in a video statement issued by his office, in what were his first comments on the issue.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one of Israel’s most vocal supporters, spoke to Netanyahu by phone on Sunday and denounced the “unacceptable” Israeli attacks, her government said.

Italy has more than a thousand troops in the 10,000-strong UNIFIL force, making it one of the biggest contributors of personnel. France and Spain, which each have nearly 700 soldiers in the force, have also condemned the Israeli attacks.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a call with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday, expressed “deep concern” about reports Israeli forces had fired on peacekeeper positions.

US military assistance

The Pentagon said on Sunday it will deploy a high-altitude anti-missile system and its US military crew to Israel to help the ally protect itself from potential Iranian missile attacks.

At the direction of US President Joe Biden, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin “authorised the deployment of a THAAD battery and associated crew of US military personnel to Israel to help bolster Israel’s air defences following Iran’s unprecedented attacks against Israel on April 13 and again on Oct 1,” Pentagon press secretary said.

Gazan dies in custody

Meanwhile, two Palestinian organisations that monitor the conditions of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails announced the death of a detainee, without specifying how he died.

The Palestinian Comm-ission of Detainees’ Affairs and Palestinian Prisoners’ Club reported that Israeli officials had informed Palestinian officials that the Palestinian prisoner Mohammad Munir Moussa, 37, from Bethlehem, died at a hospital in Israel.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2024