Four Italian soldiers were lightly hurt in a rocket "attack" on the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, Rome said on Friday, with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani saying initial evidence pointed to Hezbollah.
"It is believed that there were two missiles. From what it appears, they are believed to have been launched by Hezbollah," he said in Turin.
A foreign ministry spokesman said the Italians would await an investigation by UNIFIL.
A UNIFIL statement issued on Friday afternoon said that “two 122-mm rockets struck the Sector West Headquarters in Shamaa, injuring four Italian peacekeepers who are now receiving treatment at the base hospital. Fortunately, none of the injuries are life-threatening.”
It said the rockets, likely launched by Hezbollah or affiliated groups, impacted a bunker and a logistics area used by the international military police, causing significant damage to nearby infrastructure. One of the affected structures caught fire, but the blaze was swiftly extinguished by base personnel.
This is the third attack on this UNIFIL base in Shamaa in a week.
Today’s attack comes amid heavy shelling and ground skirmishes in the Shamaa and Naqoura areas in recent days, heightening tensions in the region.
“UNIFIL strongly urges combating parties to avoid fighting next to its positions. Inviolability of UN premises and personnel must be respected at all times and the deliberate or accidental targeting of peacekeepers serving in south Lebanon must cease immediately to ensure their safety and uphold international law,” the statement said, adding, “Any attack against peacekeepers constitutes a serious violation of International Law and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.”
"These attacks are unacceptable," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a statement, calling on "the parties on the ground to guarantee, at all times, the safety of UNIFIL soldiers and to collaborate to quickly identify those responsible".
She expressed "deep indignation and concern" over "new attacks suffered by the Italian headquarters of UNIFIL in southern Lebanon".
Meloni did not attribute blame to Hezbollah.
For his part, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto slammed the attack as "intolerable."
In a statement, Crosetto said he contacted his Lebanese counterpart, "reiterating that the Italian contingent of UNIFIL remains in southern Lebanon to offer a window of opportunity for peace and cannot become hostage to attacks by militias."
"I will try to speak with the new Israeli Minister of Defense, which has been impossible since he took office, to ask him to avoid using UNIFIL bases as a shield," he said.
"Even more intolerable is the presence of terrorists in South Lebanon who are endangering the safety of the blue helmets and the civilian population," he added.
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