Four Italian soldiers were injured on Friday during an attack on the UN peacekeeping mission headquarters in southern Lebanon, allegedly carried out by Hezbollah or affiliated groups. The incident occurred when two 122mm rockets struck the UNIFIL base in Shama, causing minor injuries to the soldiers, according to Italy’s Defense Ministry.
Initial reports suggest the rockets hit sections of the premises where peacekeepers had taken shelter after alert level 3 had been triggered. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the attack as “unacceptable” and extended sympathy to the injured soldiers and their families.
Meloni urged all parties in the region to ensure the safety of UNIFIL personnel and called for swift action to identify those responsible. “Such attacks are unacceptable,” she stated, reiterating the importance of protecting peacekeepers.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani reinforced Meloni’s message, warning Hezbollah against targeting Italian troops. “Just as we urged Israel to exercise caution, we tell Hezbollah firmly: the Italian military cannot be harmed,” Tajani said.
Earlier in the day, UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti reported ongoing clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in various parts of southern Lebanon, including Naqoura and the village of Chamaa near the base. Several UNIFIL posts have been hit since Israel began its ground invasion of Lebanon on October 1, leading to injuries among peacekeepers.
The attack comes amid heightened tensions following the International Criminal Court’s issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister, and a Hamas leader, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC’s charges relate to the 13-month conflict in Gaza and the October 2023 attack on Israel.
Since the war’s escalation, the Gaza Health Ministry reports over 44,000 Palestinian fatalities, though it does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Israel claims to have killed 17,000 militants, but it has not provided evidence to substantiate this figure.
The conflict expanded to Lebanon after Hezbollah began launching attacks on Israel in response to the October Hamas assault, culminating in Israel’s retaliatory strikes and the outbreak of a full-scale war in September following a year of low-intensity skirmishes.
