Downing Street 'appalled' as Israel fires at UN peacekeepers for the second time
Israeli airstrikes came without warning in Beirut, in the deadliest such attack in a year of war, as ITV News Correspondent John Ray reports
The UK government has condemned reports of Israel firing deliberately at United Nations (UN) peacekeepers in Lebanon.
The UN peacekeeping headquarters in southern Lebanon was hit on Friday with a second round of explosions injuring two peacekeepers.
Blasts went off close to an observation tower just a day after Israeli forces struck the same location in the town of Naqoura.
UN officials confirmed that "UNIFIL's (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) Naqoura headquarters was affected by explosions for the second time in the last 48 hours."
One of the injured peacekeepers was taken to a hospital in the nearby city of Tyre, while the other was treated at the site. It did not specify the cause of the blasts.
The UN also said an Israeli army bulldozer hit the perimeter of another of its positions in southern Lebanon while Israeli tanks moved nearby. Additional peacekeepers were sent to reinforce the position.
Hours before the incident, an Israeli airstrike killed two Lebanese soldiers and wounded three others, Lebanon's military said.
The Israeli military posted on X stating that prior to the incident where the UN peacekeepers were injured, "the IDF instructed UNIFIL personnel to enter into protected spaces and remain there."
"The IDF is continuing to examine the circumstances of the incident," a spokesperson said."The Hezbollah terrorist organization deliberately operates with the intent to harm Israeli civilians from civilian areas and near UNIFIL posts, thereby endangering UNIFIL personnel."
The prime minister said 'we have to find a political and diplomatic route forward here' as he called for de-escalation in the Middle East
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “We were appalled to hear those reports and it is vital that peacekeepers and civilians are protected.
“As you know, we continue to call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to suffering and bloodshed. This is a reminder of the importance of us all renewing our diplomatic efforts.”
Asked if the prime minister sees this as a breach of international law, the spokeswoman said: “All parties must always do everything possible to protect civilians and comply with international law. But we continue to reiterate that and call for an immediate ceasefire.”
The prime minister later repeated his calls for de-escalation in the region when asked about the reports of Israeli attacks on UN positions.
He told broadcasters: “I’m very concerned about the situation in Lebanon, in Gaza, and the escalation more generally in relation to the conflict.
“So de-escalation, we have to find a political and diplomatic route forward here, and that’s why I’m working with allies and colleagues across the globe to ensure we get de-escalation of the situation.”
Asked whether that could involve further limiting arms exports to Israel, he said: “We’re working with our colleagues to de-escalate, that’s the immediate priority.”
The developments come a day after UNIFIL said an Israeli tank directly fired at an observation tower at its headquarters, injuring two Indonesian peacekeepers, and that soldiers attacked a bunker near where peacekeepers were sheltering, damaging vehicles and a communication system.
The attacks drew international condemnations.
Israel is escalating its campaign against Hezbollah with waves of heavy airstrikes across Lebanon and a ground invasion at the border, after a year of exchanges of fire between the two rivals.
In central Beirut, rescue workers were searching through the rubble of a collapsed building Friday, hours after two Israeli strikes hit the Lebanese capital, killing at least 22 people and wounding dozens.
The air raid was the deadliest attack on central Beirut in over a year of the war, hitting two residential buildings in neighbourhoods that have swelled with displaced people fleeing Israeli bombardment elsewhere in the country.
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