UNIFIL HQ hit by rocket in Lebanon, peacekeepers injured

Beirut, Oct 30 (IANS) The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has said in a statement that peacekeepers were injured as a rocket hit the agency's headquarters in Naqoura, southwest of Lebanon.

"A rocket hit the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura this afternoon, causing a fire in a vehicle repair shop," the statement said on Tuesday.

"The peacekeepers were not in shelters at the time of the incident, and while some of the soldiers sustained minor injuries, fortunately, no one was seriously injured," it added."The rocket was fired from north of the UNIFIL headquarters, most likely by Hezbollah or a group affiliated with it, and we have opened an investigation into the incident," it noted.

It continued: "We remind Hezbollah and all actors of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property and that any deliberate attack on them is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and Resolution 1701."In recent days, five UNIFIL personnel were injured during battles between the Israeli army and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and UNIFIL accused the Israeli military of "repeatedly" firing at its positions, Xinhua news agency reported.Hezbollah has been engaged in more intense fighting with Israel since the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas last year. In early October, Israel launched a ground operation across its northern border into Lebanon.