5 UN peacekeepers injured in Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon

Five peacekeepers were injured in an Israeli strike near a military checkpoint in Sidon in southern Lebanon on Thursday, the UN mission said. In a statement, the mission said the injuries occurred as a UNIFIL convoy bringing newly arrived peacekeepers to south Lebanon was passing Sidon when a drone strike hit nearby. Three Lebanese soldiers were also injured in the attack.“We remind all actors of their obligation to avoid actions putting peacekeepers or civilians in danger. Differences should be resolved at the negotiating table, not through violence,” it added.UNIFIL operates between the Litani River in southern Lebanon and the Blue Line, which serves as the border with Israel, as part of its mandate under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 to maintain security in the region. A massive Israeli air campaign in Lebanon has been ongoing since late September against what it claims are Hezbollah targets, an escalation in year-long cross-border warfare since the start of the Gaza war. More than 3,000 people have been killed and over 13,500 injured in Israeli attacks since October 2023, according to Lebanese health authorities. Israel launched a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.