Three UN observers injured in shell explosion in southern Lebanon

(Patria) - Three United Nations observers and a translator were injured on Saturday when a shell exploded near them while they were on a foot patrol in southern Lebanon, the UN peacekeeping mission said, adding that it is still investigating the origin of the explosion, Reuters reported.

The UN peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL, as well as unarmed technical observers known as UNTSO, are stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the line
of demarcation between Lebanon and Israel, known as the Blue Line.

The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah has been exchanging fire with the Israeli military across the Blue Line since October, parallel to the war in Gaza.

UNIFIL said in a statement on Saturday that targeting peacekeepers is "unacceptable" and that the injured personnel were evacuated for treatment.

Two security sources earlier told Reuters that the observers were wounded in an Israeli strike outside the border town of Rmeisha. The Israeli military denied involvement in the incident.

"Contrary to reports, the IDF did not strike a UNIFIL vehicle in the Rmeisha area this morning," the military said in a statement.

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati spoke with UNIFIL commander Aroldo Lázaro, condemning the "targeting" and wounding of UN personnel in southern Lebanon, a statement from Mikati's office said.

Last month, UNIFIL said the Israeli military violated international law by firing on a group of clearly identifiable journalists, killing Reuters reporter Issam Abdallah.