Netanyahu expresses regret over UNIFIL casualties in Lebanon

On October 13, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one of Israel’s most vocal supporters among Western European leaders, reiterated to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the “unacceptability of UNIFIL being attacked by Israeli armed forces.

On the same day, Netanyahu said on X that he told Meloni he regrets “any harm done to UNIFIL personnel” in Lebanon, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“Israel will make every effort to prevent UNIFIL casualties and will do what it takes to win the war,” Netanyahu said.

On October 13, UNIFIL said in a statement that two Israeli tanks “destroyed the position’s main gate and forcibly entered the position”.

Soon after the tanks left, shells exploded 100 metres away, releasing smoke that blew across the base and sickened UN personnel, causing 15 to require treatment despite wearing gas masks, UNIFIL said. It did not say who fired the shells or what sort of toxic substance it suspected.

In its account of events, the Israeli military said fighters from the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah had fired anti-tank missiles at Israeli troops, wounding 25 of them. The attack was very close to a UNIFIL post and a tank that was helping evacuate the casualties under fire then backed into the UNIFIL post.

Notably, UNIFIL was set up in 1978 to monitor southern Lebanon. Since then, the area has seen persistent conflict, with Israel invading in 1982, occupying southern Lebanon until 2000 and fighting a five-week war against Hezbollah in 2006.

By Aghakazim Guliyev