UN peacekeepers fired upon Lebanon as Israel-Hezbollah war escalates, with rising casualties, displacement, and renewed Israeli strikes across the country
United Nations peacekeepers stationed in southern Lebanon came under fire on Sunday in incidents “likely by non-state armed groups,” as the intensifying conflict between Israel and Hezbollah continued to deepen the humanitarian crisis in the region.
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The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said its personnel were shot at three times in separate incidents in southern Lebanon, days after another position had been hit by gunfire in a region that has witnessed sustained fighting.
The latest escalation comes amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, which has raged for nearly two weeks following cross-border attacks and retaliatory strikes.
Lebanese authorities said the death toll from Israeli air raids had risen to 850 people, while more than 830,000 residents had registered as displaced across the country.
Many of the displaced have sought refuge in schools, shelters and public buildings, with at least 130,000 people staying in collective accommodation centres, according to officials.
Driving rain on Sunday worsened conditions for hundreds of families who have been forced to sleep outdoors or in makeshift tents near Beirut’s seafront.
A displaced resident, Nader, a 42-year-old coffee shop owner who fled the southern suburbs of Beirut, said the conditions were becoming unbearable.
“Here we have nothing and the situation is very bad with the heavy rains and wind. It is very cold, lots of babies are sick and we cannot protect them,” he said.
Israeli Strikes and Hezbollah Attacks
Lebanon was drawn deeper into the Middle East conflict on March 2 when Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel following the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei in joint United States and Israeli strikes, triggering widespread retaliatory air raids by Israel.
The Lebanese National News Agency reported that Israeli strikes continued across southern and eastern Lebanon on Sunday.
In the coastal city of Sidon, an Israeli strike reportedly hit an apartment in a residential building in a northern district, killing one person and sparking a fire.
An eyewitness described scenes of panic as rescue teams battled flames while residents rushed out of the damaged building carrying personal belongings.
A source from the Palestinian militant group Hamas, speaking anonymously, said the strike killed a senior official identified as Wissam Taha.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said its fighters had launched multiple attacks on Israeli military positions and troops operating in southern Lebanon.
The group also claimed responsibility for firing an “advanced missile” at the Palmachim Airbase south of Tel Aviv.
Israel Rejects Negotiation Talks
Despite growing international calls for diplomacy, Israel signalled that no direct negotiations with Lebanon were currently planned.
Lebanese officials had earlier indicated that the government was preparing a delegation to explore talks aimed at ending the hostilities.
However, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed the possibility when asked whether negotiations were imminent.
French President Emmanuel Macron has meanwhile said the Lebanese government was ready to engage in direct discussions with Israel and offered to host potential negotiations.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has also publicly supported the idea of talks aimed at de-escalating the crisis.
Israel’s military on Sunday renewed evacuation warnings for residents in Beirut’s southern suburbs, an area that has been repeatedly targeted during the recent air campaign.
In separate strikes, Lebanon’s health ministry said three people were killed overnight in the village of Al-Qatrani southeast of Sidon.
The Israeli military said the strikes targeted several Hezbollah launch sites and command centres belonging to the group’s elite Radwan Force operating in Beirut.
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The continuing clashes have heightened fears of a wider regional escalation as diplomatic efforts struggle to keep pace with the rapidly unfolding military confrontation.
