Updated 03.06 | Published 03.01
A Lebanese soldier was killed and three wounded when Israeli forces shelled a military post near the border in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, Lebanon’s defense forces said in a statement.
According to Israel’s military (IDF), the purpose of the attack was to eliminate “an imminent threat” linked to the Iran-backed Shiite militia Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“The IDF was informed that soldiers from the Lebanese Defense Forces were injured during the attack. The Lebanese Armed Forces were not the target of the attack,” writes the IDF, which regrets the incident and states that it is under investigation.
Shelling between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel’s military has increased concerns that the war between Israel and Hamas will spread.
The UN’s peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNFIL, writes in a statement that in recent days it has seen “a rapid and alarming increase in violence” in the border area.
“This is the first time that a Lebanese army soldier was killed during this critical period. The Lebanese army did not engage in the conflict with Israel,” writes Unfil, repeating a plea for an end to the cycle of violence “that can lead to devastating consequences for people on both sides.”