Israeli forces advise UN peacekeepers to relocate to ensure safety

Israeli forces fired on positions used by U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon on Wednesday and Thursday, the U.N. force said, as Israel warned Lebanese civilians not to return to homes in the south and pursued a widening offensive against Hezbollah.

The UNIFIL force said two of its peacekeepers were injured in one of the incidents when an Israeli tank fired at a watchtower at the force's main headquarters in Ras al-Naqoura, hitting the tower and causing them to fall. There were no casualties in the other two incidents, a U.N. source said.

"Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law," UNIFIL said in a statement, adding that it was following up with the Israeli military.

Hezbollah said it had fired a missile salvo at Israeli forces on Thursday as they were trying to pull casualties out of the Ras al-Naqoura area, and they were directly hit.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

But in New York, Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said Israel was focused on fighting Hezbollah and recommends "UNIFIL relocate 5 km (3 miles) north to avoid danger as fighting intensifies". 

Reuters reported last week that the Israeli military had sent a message asking U.N. peacekeepers to prepare to move "as soon as possible, in order to maintain your safety".

Danon added that "Israel has no desire to be in Lebanon, but it will do what is necessary" to drive Hezbollah away from its northern border so 70,000 displaced residents can return to their homes in northern Israel.

The conflict erupted one year ago when Hezbollah opened fire in support of Palestinian militant group Hamas at the start of the Gaza war. 

It has intensified dramatically in recent weeks, with Israel bombing Beirut's southern suburbs, the south and the Bekaa Valley, before sending in ground forces.