Defense Minister Yoav Galant told his American counterpart Lloyd Austin that Israel will continue to take measures to avoid harming UN peacekeepers stationed in southern Lebanon, the Defense Ministry said.
"Minister Gallant stressed that the IDF (Israeli military forces) will continue to take measures to avoid harming UN CPA troops and peacekeeper positions" in southern Lebanon, the ministry said in a statement following the nighttime talks between the two.
At least five peacekeepers have been wounded in recent days as Israeli forces battle Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, AFP reported.
The UNIFIL peacekeeping mission accused the Israeli military of "deliberately" shelling its positions.
The UNMIL said its forces had been repeatedly shelled in the Lebanese town of Naqoura, where its headquarters are located, and other positions in recent days.
"Such actions must cease immediately and be adequately investigated," the 40 countries contributing to the force, including Indonesia, Italy and India, said in a joint statement.
UNIFIL, which includes about 9,500 troops from about 50 nationalities, is tasked with, among other things, monitoring the ceasefire that ended the 33-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006 | BGNES
