Eight wounded in new attack on UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon

UNIFIL says rocket attack likely fired by Hezbollah or ‘affiliated group’ hit its headquarters in Naqoura.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) says eight of its peacekeepers were wounded after a rocket, likely fired by Hezbollah or an affiliated group, hit its headquarters in southern Lebanon.

“A rocket hit UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, setting a vehicle workshop on fire,” the force said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that it “was fired from north of UNIFIL’s headquarters, likely by Hezbollah or an affiliated group”.

Austria’s Federal Ministry of Defence said the attack injured right Austrian soldiers with the force, condemning the attack and adding it was “currently not possible to say where the attack came from”.

“Eight Austrian army soldiers from the UNIFIL contingent were injured today at 12:58 pm [10:58 GMT] by a rocket hit in Camp Naqoura; none of them seriously,” the statement said.

The injuries were “minor and superficial”, with none of the soldiers, who are members of a repair platoon, requiring emergency medical attention, the statement added.