Lebanon: 41 Countries Tell Israel To End Attacks On UN Peacekeepers

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has spoken with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, expressing significant concern regarding Israel’s ongoing assaults on UNIFIL, the United Nations peacekeeping forces stationed in southern Lebanon.

This concern also extends to the fatalities of two Lebanese armed forces soldiers, as detailed in a Pentagon summary of their discussion.

Austin emphasized the importance of Israel halting its military operations in southern Lebanon and shifting towards diplomatic efforts in the region as soon as possible, according to the Pentagon’s statement.

He stressed the necessity for Israel to protect the safety and security of peacekeeping forces, which have been targeted by Israeli military actions in recent days and weeks.

In a separate initiative to exert pressure on Israel, 40 countries, including France, Turkey, Indonesia, Ireland, China, and the UK, signed a letter condemning the ongoing Israeli attacks on the peacekeeping forces and their bases in southern Lebanon.

These countries are all part of the UNIFIL force. As of now, there has been no response from Israel regarding these collective efforts to encourage compliance with international law concerning the protection of peacekeeping forces.