A UN peacekeeper was injured in southern Lebanon after being shot, said the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), which is the fifth member of the international force to be injured in recent days.
In a statement on Saturday, Unifil said the peacekeeper was injured at its headquarters in the southern city of Naquora on Friday night during “an ongoing military operation nearby”, although it added that it did not know the cause of the fire.
“He underwent surgery at our hospital in Naqoura to remove the bullet and is currently stable,” said the statement.
Elsewhere, about 20 people were killed in an Israeli strike in Jabalia in Gaza on Friday night, according to the Reuters news agency, citing medics.
This comes as fighting continues in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces have urged UN troops to leave their positions. A Unifil spokesman said on Saturday there was a “mutual decision” to stay in the border region.
Separately, Unifil said buildings in the village of Ramyah suffered “extensive damage from nearby bombings” on Friday night.
“We remind all actors of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and facilities, including avoiding fighting near Unifil sites,” the campaign said.
On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) admitted that its soldiers were responsible for the incident in which two Sri Lankan soldiers were injured, also in Naqoura.
The IDF said soldiers operating near the camp opened fire after identifying a danger and that the incident would be investigated at the “highest level”.
Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “strongly condemned” the attack.
On Thursday, two Indonesian peacekeepers were injured falling from an observation tower after Israeli tanks fired at them.
Asked about Friday’s events, US President Joe Biden said he was “definitely, definitely” urging Israel to stop shooting UN troops.
The leaders of France, Italy and Spain also condemned Israel’s actions, saying in a joint statement that they are unjust and must end immediately.
Earlier, the IDF said dozens of other explosives landed in Lebanon and entered Israel on Saturday – most of which were intercepted.
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