The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon condemned the attack as “deeply disturbing” and no troops were injured.

The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon has said one of its patrols in the south of the country was hit by Israeli fire Ceasefire between Israel and Hamas widespread calm on the Lebanese-Israeli border.

“Around 12:00 a UNIFIL patrol was attacked [Israeli army] Shots” near Aitarun, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said in a statement on Saturday.

“No peacekeepers were injured, but the vehicle was damaged,” it said, adding that “this incident occurred during a period of relative calm” along the Israel-Lebanon border.

Since the The Israeli-Palestinian conflict began on October 7thThe Border between Lebanon and Israel There were increasing exchanges of fire, particularly between Israel and the Shiite Hezbollah, but also Palestinian groups, raising fears of a larger conflagration.

The scale of border fighting has gradually increased over the weeks, but it has not yet escalated into an all-out war. First, the two sides began attacking each other with artillery attacks, and Israel also used its drones.

A four-day ceasefire The conflict between Israel and Hamas began on Friday, and a source close to Hezbollah told AFP that the Iran-backed group would also abide by the ceasefire if Israel did so.

UNIFIL said: “This attack on peacekeepers dedicated to reducing tensions and restoring stability in southern Lebanon is deeply disturbing,” adding: “We condemn this act.”

At around 12 noon today, a UNIFIL patrol near Aytaroun in southern Lebanon was hit by IDF gunfire.

No peacekeepers were injured, but the vehicle was damaged. This incident occurred during a period of relative calm along the Blue Line.

– UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) November 25, 2023

Last month, light shelling wounded a UN peacekeeper near the border village of Hula, just hours after UNIFIL said a shell hit its headquarters in Naqura, near the Israel-Lebanese border.

Police said they are investigating these incidents.

“We strongly remind the parties of their obligation to protect peacekeepers and not to endanger the men and women working to restore stability,” the UNIFIL statement said on Saturday.

According to a count by the AFP news agency, 109 people were killed in a cross-border fire in Lebanon, including 77 Hezbollah fighters and 14 civilians, three of them journalists.

According to the authorities, six Israeli soldiers and three civilians were killed on the Israeli side.

Even though many Lebanese have compassion for the plight of the Palestinians, they feel the same way Fear of becoming involved in a new conflictMany have already experienced the 2006 war in which more than 1,200 people were killed in Lebanon, many of them civilians. At least 165 Israelis were also killed.

Since the pause came into force on Friday, peace has largely returned to Lebanon’s southern border.

UNIFIL was founded in 1978 to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli forces after they invaded Lebanon in retaliation for a Palestinian attack.

It was strengthened after the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006 and its approximately 10,000 peacekeepers are tasked with monitoring the ceasefire between the two sides.