Four Italian soldiers were lightly hurt in a rocket "attack" on the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, Rome said on Friday, with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani saying initial evidence pointed to Hezbollah.
"It is believed that there were two missiles. From what it appears, they are believed to have been launched by Hezbollah," he said in Turin.
A foreign ministry spokesman said the Italians would await an investigation by UNIFIL.
A UNIFIL statement issued on Friday afternoon said that “two 122-mm rockets struck the Sector West Headquarters in Shamaa, injuring four Italian peacekeepers who are now receiving treatment at the base hospital. Fortunately, none of the injuries are life-threatening.”
It said the rockets, likely launched by Hezbollah or affiliated groups, impacted a bunker and a logistics area used by the international military police, causing significant damage to nearby infrastructure. One of the affected structures caught fire, but the blaze was swiftly extinguished by base personnel.
This is the third attack on this UNIFIL base in Shamaa in a week.