Thursday, Israel launched a targeted air strike on downtown Beirut. At the same time, its troops in South Lebanon were accused of firing on the UN’s military center, hurting two people.

The Lebanon Health Ministry said that Israeli bombs on central Beirut killed 22 people and hurt many more. This made Israel’s war with Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon, who are backed by Iran, even worse.

The airstrike on central Beirut was the bloodiest in more than a year of fighting. It hit two apartment buildings in different neighborhoods at the same time. One eight-story building fell down, and the bottom floors of the other one were destroyed.

Hezbollah sources said that an attempt to kill Wafiq Safa, a top security official for the group, had failed after the attacks. It said Safa had not been in either of the buildings that were being searched.

Hit by UN peacekeepers
In a statement, UNIFIL, the UN operation in Lebanon that keeps the peace, said that Israeli troops “have repeatedly hit” its offices and posts.

The report said that an Israeli tank “directly” fired on an observation tower at the force’s offices in the Lebanon town of Naqoura. It also said that soldiers had broken into a bunker near where troops were hiding and damaged cars and a communication system. A report said an Israeli drone was seen flying to the front door of the bunker.

Antonio Tajani, Italy’s foreign minister, said that the two UNIFIL soldiers who were hurt in the attacks and taken to the hospital are Indonesian.

Italy has about 1,000 troops in southern Lebanon as part of UNIFIL. Their defense minister, Guido Crosetto, said that Israel “deliberately targeted” the UNIFIL base in strikes that “could constitute war crimes.”

In response to the attack on peacekeepers, the US
When the IDF Merkava tank fired its gun at an observation tower at UNIFIL’s base in Naqoura, many countries, including their main partner, the US, spoke out strongly against the action.

“We are deeply concerned about reports that Israeli forces fired on two positions and a tower used by UN peacekeepers in Lebanon,” a White House National Security Council spokesman said.

The Israeli military said that they had fired on a UN base in southern Lebanon on Thursday and told the troops to “remain in protected spaces.”