The UN accused Israel of a “flagrant violation” of international law on Sunday after Israeli tanks broke into a position stationed by peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, hours before Benjamin Netanyahu told international forces to withdraw from combat areas.
The Israeli prime minister’s demand came as fighting continued on multiple fronts, with Israeli forces bombarding Lebanon and ramping up their offensive in the north of the Gaza Strip, while in the Binyamina region of northern Israel a Hizbollah drone strike killed 4 Israeli soldiers and seriously injured 7 others, according to AP. Earlier reports indicated that more than 60 people had been injured in the attack on a military base near the town of Binyamina.
Israel has faced widespread international criticism after several soldiers from Unifil, the UN-mandated force deployed along the de facto border between Israel and Lebanon, were injured by Israeli fire during the invasion of southern Lebanon last week. Israeli air strikes have also killed two Lebanese soldiers, according to the Lebanese military.