Israel Admits Injuring 2 TNI Soldiers From UNIFIL Troops

Indonesian Navy Soldier Comes To KRI Diponegoro-365 To Participate In The Exercise Of The UNIFIL Maritime Task Force (MTF) contingency plan At The Port Of Beirut Pier, Lebanon (ANTARA)

TEL AVIV - Israeli soldiers admit to injuring two UN peacekeeping forces UNIFIL in Lebanon. They argued they were shooting "threats" near the UNIFIL troop position.

On the morning of October 10, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers operating in southern Lebanon detected direct threats aimed at them and opened fire on the position, the IDF statement said Saturday.

The IDF did not specify what the direct threat meant. However, this is a term they often use to call the Hezbollah militia on the battlefield.

"Initial inspection results show that the leading post of UNIFIL troops located about 50 meters from the location of the threat of being hit by a bullet has injured two UNIFIL members," the IDF said.

UNIFIL on Thursday 10 October accused Israeli Merkava tanks of firing at an observation post at their headquarters in the southern Lebanese city of Naqura. The tank attack injured two Indonesian National Army (TNI) and left both hospitalized, although not seriously injured.

The IDF said that hours before the shooting, it had instructed UNIFIL troops to seek shelter and stay until conditions were safe.

"We continue to review the details of the incident," the IDF said.

"We are and will continue to communicate with UNIFIL for coordination," he continued.

The Israeli army did not specify the location of the shooting, but they accused Hezbollah of deliberately operating in civilian areas and near UNIFIL facilities, thereby endangering members of this force.

UNIFIL said its position was attacked several times, and had injured four members of the troops.

Israeli tanks once hit the observation deck at the Naqura command post. The explosion continued near the facility's observation deck, injuring two UNIFIL Sri Lankan soldiers.

According to UNIFIL, several retaining walls in other UN positions near the border collapsed after Israeli bulldozers hit them, forcing IDF tanks to move in adjacent areas.

"This incident once again led to UN peacekeeping forces, who carried out their duties as required by the Security Council Resolution No. 1701, face very serious risks," UNIFIL said.

UNIFIL was founded in 1978 to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops after invading Lebanon in retaliation for attacks by Palestinian gunmen.

UN Security Council Resolution Number 1701, which was passed in August 2006, commissioned UNIFIL and Lebanese troops to monitor a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel after nearly a month of war. UNIFIL has about 10,000 troops stationed in southern Lebanon.