Israel threatens to attack ambulances in Lebanon

The warning came after Israeli forces hit positions of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), injuring peacekeepers.

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee on Saturday claimed that “Hezbollah elements are using ambulances to transport fighters and arms”. He did not provide any proof of his accusation.

“We call on medical teams to avoid contact with Hezbollah members and not to cooperate with them,” he said, adding the Israeli military “affirms that the necessary actions will be taken against any vehicle transporting armed individuals, regardless of its type”.

Another peacekeeper from the UNIFIL was injured in southern Lebanon on Friday evening, UNIFIL said in a statement on Saturday.

UNIFIL announced the peacekeeper was hit by gunfire at its headquarters in the city of Naqoura due to ongoing military activity nearby.

“He underwent surgery at our Naqoura hospital to remove the bullet and is currently stable. We do not yet know the origin of the fire,” the force added.

The peacekeeper was the fifth member of the UN force hurt in southern Lebanon in just two days.

UNIFIL said two peacekeepers were injured after an Israeli Merkava tank fired toward its observation tower in Naqoura on Thursday, causing it to collapse.

On Friday, two more were hurt after two explosions occurred close to the observation tower in Naqoura.

Israeli air attacks continue to intensify across Lebanon, while Hezbollah has responded by launching rockets at Israel.

Since September 23, when Israel expanded its conflict against Hezbollah by bombarding southern Beirut and other strongholds of the group with deadly air attacks, killing almost 1,400 people in Lebanon.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported on Saturday that more Lebanese have now been displaced than during the last major war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, when around 1 million fled their homes.