An Australian solider is among three injured in an explosion near Lebanon‘s southern border with Israel, as the warring Middle Eastern countries both deny responsibility.
The trio were acting as military observers for the United Nations and were unarmed and on foot patrolling the border town of Rmeish when they were injured by the blast.
The group were evacuated and are all now in stable condition, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said.
Australia’s Department of Defence confirmed an Australian soldier was among those injured, telling 9news they suffered “non-life-threatening blast injuries” and have been released to recover.
Tenenti said the United Nations have launched an investigation to determine whether its peacekeepers had been targeted.
“We are very visible. We have white vehicles with the UN written on it, big blue flags, so (it is) very difficult to think that we are somebody else,” she said.
Lebanese media have labelled it a “targeted attack” from Israel – a claim its defence force has publicly denied.
“Contrary to the reports, the IDF did not strike a (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) vehicle in the area of Rmeish this morning,” the IDF said in a post to X.
The United Nations force in the region has been criticised by both the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Israel since their breakout war following Hamas’ October 7 attack.
Hezbollah militants have accused members of spying for Israel, while Israel has claimed the force has not done enough to push the Iran-backed group away from the border.
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Both parties have escalated their attacks, with at least 16 people, including paramedics, killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon this week.
Hezbollah retaliated with rockets and killed one civilian in northern Israel.
