An Israeli strike against the southern Lebanese city of Sidon killed three Lebanese citizens and wounded three Lebanese soldiers, as well as four Malaysian servicemen from UNIFIL forces, the Lebanese army said on Thursday, as quoted by Reuters, as quoted by News.bg.
According to the army statement, the attack targeted a car passing through a checkpoint, killing the three Lebanese people inside the vehicle.
The wounded Lebanese soldiers were on duty at the checkpoint, while UNIFIL personnel were in a UN peacekeeping vehicle that was also passing through the checkpoint at the time of the strike.
Since the beginning of the Israeli ground operation against the fighters of "Hezbollah" on October 1, UNIFIL positions came under fire, and two Israeli tanks even entered one of their bases, injuring five peacekeepers.
Sixteen EU countries, including Austria, participate in UNIFIL, and recent incidents have raised serious concerns among European governments.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the UN to withdraw UNIFIL forces from "Hezbollah strongholds" and from the combat zones".
For his part, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said the United Nations Mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is crucial to ending the conflict in the region and should be strengthened, not withdrawn as Israel insists.
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