Tel Aviv, 29 October 2023 (dpa/MIA) – A UN peacekeeper stationed in Lebanon has been injured by mortar fire, the United Nations Interim Forces in Southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Sunday on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The incident occurred on Saturday evening near the village of Houla in the eastern part of the border region between Lebanon and Israel, it said.

It was not clear who was responsible for the attack. The peacekeeper, whose nationality was not given, was evacuated for treatment. UNIFIL said its headquarters in Naqoura had also been hit.

"We strongly urge all parties involved in the conflict to immediately cease fire," UNIFIL said. "Attacking UN peacekeepers is a crime, a violation of international law and must be condemned."

There have been increasingly violent confrontations on the border between Israel and Lebanon since the start of the Gaza war, leading to casualties on both sides. The powerful Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and Israeli forces have both launched strikes leading to casualties on both sides.

Photo: MIA archive