Hezbollah reported on Sunday that it engaged Israeli troops attempting to infiltrate the village of Ramya in southern Lebanon. This comes as a third United Nations peacekeeper was injured amid escalating violence between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese group.
Israeli strikes have rattled UNIFIL’s main base in southern Lebanon, prompting international criticism. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attacks, while the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) described them as a “serious development,” emphasizing that the safety of U.N. personnel must be protected.
France has summoned Israel’s ambassador, joining Italy and Spain in labeling the strikes on peacekeepers as “unjustifiable.” President Biden has urged Israel to avoid targeting U.N. forces, while Russia expressed “outrage” and called on Israel to halt its “hostile actions” against peacekeepers.
On Saturday, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza killed at least 29 Palestinians, as forces advanced into Jabalia, a densely populated area with thousands of civilians. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that Hezbollah fired approximately 320 projectiles from Lebanon on Saturday and declared certain northern Israeli towns restricted to the public.
Israel has ordered evacuations from 23 southern Lebanese villages, citing increased Hezbollah activity. The IDF claims Hezbollah is using civilian areas to store weapons and launch attacks, an assertion that Hezbollah denies.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which reignited a year ago, has intensified in recent weeks, with Israel conducting strikes in southern Lebanon and other areas. Hezbollah has responded by launching rockets deeper into Israeli territory. The violence has displaced over 1.2 million people in Lebanon, with the Lebanese government reporting more than 2,100 deaths, including women and children, since the escalation began.
