UNIFIL- Two bombing attacks by Israeli forces within 48 hours. Guterres- Intolerable!

On October 12, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) released a statement following a bombing at their headquarters in the southern region of Nakoura. This attack marks the second explosion the UNIFIL headquarters has experienced in the last 48 hours.

According to Al Jazeera, the UNIFIL report indicated that two explosions occurred near a watchtower, resulting in injuries to two peacekeepers. The statement emphasized the seriousness of the situation, insisting on the necessity to protect UN personnel and property. It also reiterated the importance of respecting the inviolability of the United Nations, declaring that any deliberate attacks on peacekeepers constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

On the same day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the incident, stating, “This event is clearly intolerable and must not happen again.”

Additionally, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported earlier that day that their soldiers operating in southern Lebanon encountered a “direct threat” approximately 50 meters away from their position, prompting them to open fire in response. The IDF stated that just hours before the incident, they had instructed UNIFIL personnel to move to a protected area, confirming that this directive was still in effect at the time of the explosions.

The IDF also mentioned that they are maintaining communication with UNIFIL for coordination and will continue to do so while conducting an investigation into the incident.