Israel Attacks UNIFIL: Italian Bases Hit in Lebanon, Two Blue Helmets Injured

In recent days, the situation on the border between Lebanon and Israel, along the so-called Blue Line, has deteriorated significantly, culminating in an attack by the Israeli army (IDF) against several UNIFIL mission bases (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon), including two Italian bases and the headquarters of the UN mission in Naqura. This attack led to the wounding of two Indonesian peacekeepers and sparked an immediate and indignant reaction from the Italian government and the international community.

Tensions in the area had been high for several days, even before September 29, when Israel decided to send its troops into Lebanon to counter the forces of Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite movement supported by Iran. In this context, the IDF had repeatedly requested UNIFIL soldiers to move from their positions to allow easier military operations against Hezbollah. However, the order for the peacekeeping force soldiers was to remain in their bases, while maintaining high guard, avoiding going out to protect the security of their positions. Hezbollah, surprisingly, had also ordered its militiamen not to endanger the UN peacekeepers.

Despite these precautions, the danger came from the Israeli forces themselves. According to UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti, an IDF Merkava tank fired at an observation tower at UNIFIL headquarters in Naqura, hitting the structure and causing two Indonesian soldiers to fall and be injured. Subsequently, theThe Israeli army also targeted the UNIFIL 1-31 base, occupied by Italian soldiers, hitting it after repeatedly flying over it with a drone. The attacks hit the entrance to a bunker where Italian peacekeepers had taken refuge, who fortunately remained unharmed.

Italy, which with around 1.200 soldiers represents the largest contingent of the UNIFIL mission, reacted immediately.

The Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, called the attack "inadmissible", and remained in constant contact with the Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto, who immediately summoned Israel's ambassador-designate to Rome, Jonathan Peled. Crosetto has firmly exposed Italy's indignation, stating that neither the UN nor Italy "take orders from Israel", referring to repeated Israeli requests to move UNIFIL troops to facilitate operations against Hezbollah.

According to the official reconstruction, the Israeli attack does not appear to have been a mistake.

Crosetto, during a press conference at Palazzo Chigi, defined the action as “a war crime”, since there is no military justification for deliberately targeting peacekeeping forces. The accusation, shared by Italian government officials and the armed forces, is that Israel is trying to “force UNIFIL to withdraw” to avoid the presence of inconvenient witnesses in view of future operations planned by the IDF in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli attack has also sparked protests internationally.

The European Union, together with countries participating in the UNIFIL mission such as Spain (which has 49 soldiers deployed in the affected positions) and France, strongly condemned the action, reminding Israel of its duty to protect UN peacekeepers. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, in a meeting with Crosetto, decided to call a video conference with the European countries participating in the mission to discuss the situation and possible responses. The United States has also expressed concern about the escalation of violence.

Meanwhile, the war between Israel and Hezbollah continues unabated in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army announced that it killed two Hezbollah commanders and struck weapons depots in Beirut and the south of the country. On the other hand, Hezbollah claims attack on several Israeli tanks along the demarcation line, intensifying clashes across the area. New Israeli raids were also reported in downtown Beirut, causing numerous casualties. The overall death toll since the beginning of hostilities has risen to over 2.169 dead and more than 10.000 wounded, a figure that testifies to the gravity of the situation.

The Israeli attack against Italian bases and UNIFIL has created a diplomatic rift between Rome and Tel Aviv. Despite Israel's attempts to defend its actions, claiming that multinational forces had been warned of the danger, the Italian government does not intend to justify what happened.

Crosetto publicly reiterated that there is no justification for the attack, and asked for immediate and formal explanations from Tel Aviv. Furthermore, he stressed that the hostile acts by Israeli forces are considered serious violations of international law and may constitute war crimes.

The Italian political opposition has asked the government to clarify what happened. Elly Schlein, secretary of the Democratic Party, urged the government to report to Parliament and ascertain responsibilities, while the leader of the Five Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte, launched an appeal to stop the escalation of violence.

The UNIFIL mission is at a critical stage, with many wondering about its future. Minister Crosetto confirmed that, at the moment, a unilateral decision by Italy to withdraw the contingent from Lebanon is not foreseen, but stressed that the issue will be discussed at the UN, together with the 40 contributing countries of the mission. Despite the attack, Italy's intention is to maintain a space of peace in the region, avoiding a continued escalation of war.

on your part, Israel continued to insist that UNIFIL move at least 5 kilometers north to avoid further danger, but the UN mission again rejected these demands. Israel's ambassador to the UN reiterated that the multinational forces had been warned and should withdraw, but the situation remains at a standstill, with diplomatic deadlock between Italy and Israel.

In this context, UNIFIL confirmed its will not to retreat, maintaining the presence of its bases in southern Lebanon. The mission remains essential to ensure a peacekeeping presence in an area that continues to be ravaged by armed conflict and international tensions, but recent attacks have called into question its role and future security.