Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday accused Hezbollah of using UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon as human shields for its attacks.
“Hezbollah operates and fires in the vicinity of UNIFIL positions, using peacekeeping missions as a cover for its terrorist activities,” Gallant noted in a phone call with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, according to his office.
The Pentagon chief expressed concern about reports “that Israeli forces fired on U.N. peacekeeping positions in Lebanon, as well as by the reported death of two Lebanese soldiers, according to Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary.
Gallant’s office said in its readout of the call that the Israel Defense Forces is investigating the the UNIFIL incident.
“Minister Gallant emphasized that while facing this significant operational challenge, the IDF will continue to take measures to avoid harm to UNIFIL troops and peacekeeping positions.”
Israel has told United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon soldiers to vacate certain areas ahead of its attacks on Hezbollah terror targets. In a U.N. Security Council meeting on Thursday, Danny Danon, the Israeli envoy to the global body, said that the Lebanese army and UNIFIL must “step up” and fulfill their duties.
“The Lebanese people have been held hostage by an Iran-backed terror organization,” Danon told the council. “Hezbollah has established a terrorist state within a failed state.”
