The IDF fires on the Sassari Brigade in Lebanon, prompting Meloni's ire: "Israel will have to clarify matters."
An Italian convoy departing from the Shama base was attacked. The Israeli ambassador was summoned. Crosetto: "The UN must guarantee the safety of our contingent."Per restare aggiornato entra nel nostro canale Whatsapp
A convoy of the Italian UNIFIL contingent in southern Lebanon was hit by gunfire. A Lince armored vehicle was hit by warning shots fired by the IDF to block its progress.
The attack
The convoy of vehicles, which had just left the Shama base led by the Sassari Brigade bound for Beirut, was targeted approximately two kilometers from its starting point . Bullets struck the vehicle's tires and bumper, forcing the peacekeepers to turn around and return to base. Fortunately, there were no injuries, but the incident raised tensions, as did concerns for the Dimonios' safety.
Meloni's Wrath
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni harshly condemned it, calling it "completely unacceptable that personnel" employed "under the UN flag are being put at risk by irresponsible actions" in "clear violation of UN Resolution 1701." "Israel must clarify," she lashed out.
The ambassador was summoned
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Israeli ambassador to the Farnesina and spoke by telephone with Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun , expressing solidarity with the "unjustified and unacceptable attacks he is suffering from Israel. The Italian military must not be touched," Tajani warned. In the Chamber of Deputies, he provided some details on the incident involving the Italian convoy, explaining that it was "carrying personnel to Beirut for repatriation."
Crosetto calls the UN
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto called on the United Nations "to intervene with the Israeli authorities as a matter of urgency to clarify the incident, adopt all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the Italian contingent and all UNIFIL personnel, and firmly reaffirm respect for the mandate and the protection due to the UN peacekeepers." Crosetto assured that "Italy will continue to support the peacekeeping mission, but demands full respect for UNIFIL's role and the protection of its own personnel. Incidents like this," he stated, "are intolerable and must not be repeated."
The reactions
Meanwhile, Speaker of the Chamber Lorenzo Fontana reiterated his "thanks to the Italian military who work for peace and stability in highly complex conditions." Italia Viva Vice President Enrico Borghi, on the other hand, argued that "such attacks are unacceptable" and that "the Italian contingent is there to perform a peacekeeping function," calling on the government to "protect the image and substance of the mission." Criticism of the government came from Nicola Fratoianni, Secretary of the Italian Left: "The ministers of the Meloni government are now bordering on the ridiculous when they deal with the Israeli army's continued violations and acts of violence," he argued. For the Red-Green leader, "concrete action is needed: sanctions against the Israeli government, a proposal to suspend the Israel-EU Association Treaty," but above all, "to stop considering Israel's government a 'friendly' government."
The precedents
Today's attack is not the first time the Italian contingent deployed in the peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon has suffered. Just a few days ago, a rocket hit the Shama base, headquarters of the Sassari Brigade. The same base had already been hit in November 2024 by two rockets, injuring four Italian soldiers from the Sassari Brigade, who were hit by shards of glass and debris. The attack was attributed to Hezbollah. A month earlier, several cameras located at Italian outposts at two bases were destroyed by small arms fire.
The mission
Currently, approximately 1,200 Italians are employed in the multinational mission, which includes approximately 10,000 soldiers from around fifty countries and more than 800 civilians. Created with the task of verifying the withdrawal of Israeli troops, assisting the Lebanese government, and contributing to the restoration of security in the area, UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) was established almost 50 years ago (in 1978). It underwent a transformation in the summer of 2006, following the 34-day conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, with the approval of Resolution 1701. The rules of engagement—one of the critical points on which Minister Crosetto has repeatedly called on the UN to intervene—limit the use of force, with intervention authorized only for self-defense, to protect UN personnel and infrastructure, or in the event of a threat to civilians.
(Unioneonline)