The United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) in Lebanon said Israeli troops fired from a Merkava tank stationed inside southern Lebanon at peacekeepers . Heavy machine gun fire landed within 5 meters of the peacekeepers, forcing them to seek shelter.
Israeli tanks withdrew after the peacekeepers contacted the Israeli army through official channels, UNIFIL said.
UNIFIL called the incident a "serious violation" of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which contains provisions stating that no armed forces are allowed to operate in southern Lebanon except UN peacekeepers and the Lebanese army.
The Lebanese army said in a statement that Israel's violation of sovereignty had caused instability in the country and hindered its forces from deploying in the south.
The Israeli military confirmed in a statement that Israeli soldiers opened fire in the incident, but said it was a "mistake" due to "bad weather conditions".
"After review, we determined that the suspects were UN soldiers patrolling the area and were identified as suspects due to poor weather conditions," the Israeli military said in a statement.
Last year Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire that required the Lebanese militant group not to possess any weapons in the south and for Israeli forces to withdraw completely from Lebanon.
However, the Israeli military still maintains its forces in five areas it considers strategic. It also regularly conducts airstrikes in Lebanon, saying it targets Hezbollah sites and activities.
Israel accuses Hezbollah of trying to rearm, while the Lebanese government accuses Israel of violating the agreement by not withdrawing its troops and continuing to carry out airstrikes.
Source: https://congluan.vn/xe-tang-israel-ban-vao-luc-luong-gin-giu-hoa-binh-lien-hop-quoc-o-lebanon-10318040.html
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