IDF investigates allegations against UNIFIL; Hezbollah munitions kill Thai worker in northern Israel

After another week of intense fighting in southern Lebanon, the IDF said its ground forces are advancing despite some casualties, while the Israeli Air Force continues to strike Hezbollah sites across Lebanon, while targeted strikes target more of the terror group’s top commanders.

Meanwhile, Israel is struggling to deal with the diplomatic fallout after the UN peacekeeping force in south Lebanon, UNIFIL, again claimed on Friday that two of its soldiers had been injured by IDF fire.

After a similar incident the day before, Italy summoned the Israeli ambassador, while France and Ireland sharply criticized the Israeli army. To date, the IDF has not released a detailed statement, indicating that the incidents are still under investigation.

The IDF had asked UNIFIL forces to withdraw north as it began its ground assault, saying on Thursday it had ordered UN troops to take cover before opening fire on nearby Hezbollah terrorists.

The Israeli army continues to keep information about the locations of its forces in southern Lebanon under strict military censorship. According to most reports, the troops have not advanced far into Lebanese territory, but are instead focused on systematically dismantling Hezbollah’s infrastructure and weapons depots near the border.

The IDF released detailed footage of the massive amounts of weapons and equipment that Hezbollah terrorists had stockpiled in villages in southern Lebanon in preparation for an invasion of Israeli territory.

Several of the IDF’s top generals, including Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Major General of the Northern Command OC. Uri Gordin and Shin Bet director Ronen Bar conducted a situation assessment with field commanders in southern Lebanon.

On Thursday morning, the IDF announced the death of another soldier in the fighting, while another was seriously injured. While several other soldiers were slightly wounded in recent fighting, the troops have not experienced a second mass casualty event since the first days of the ground operation.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s rocket fire has continued seemingly unabated in recent days. On Thursday, two salvos of over 40 rockets, as well as numerous smaller salvos and several drones, targeted areas in northern Israel.

From October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah began the war against Israel on the northern border, to October 1, 2024, when Israeli ground exercises began in Lebanon, #Hezbollah carried out 3,235 attacks against Israel on the northern border, which made up the absolute majority… pic.twitter.com/VBnqAeusI2

— Israel Alma (@Israel_Alma_org) October 10, 2024

On Friday morning, an explosion caused by an old, unexploded Hezbollah projectile killed a Thai foreign worker and injured another person in Yir’on township near the border.

In addition, the IDF said it intercepted two drones while the Haifa Bay area, including Haifa and Acre, came under a barrage of about 25 missiles.

The Israeli Air Force continued its intensive airstrikes campaign against Hezbollah’s infrastructure across the country, as well as its military commanders and political officials.

On Thursday evening, a precise attack targeted Wafiq Safa, the head of Hezbollah’s liaison and coordination unit, in a residential building in central Beirut – and apparently missed him. Lebanese reports said at least 22 people were killed, but security sources told Reuters that Safa was not among them.

He was the son-in-law of slain Hezbollah leader Nasrallah and in 2006 led negotiations to exchange the bodies of three killed and captured IDF soldiers for several terrorists. Safa was also sanctioned by the US Treasury Department.

” ירי נ”ט רבים לעבר מרחב מרחב מרחב מרחב רמות נפתלי>> pic.twitter.com/zpiQVE9ADQ

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) October 11, 2024

In another successful targeted attack, the IAF killed the commander of the Radwan Forces anti-tank missile complex in the Mais al-Jabal region, who had led hundreds of anti-tank missile attacks on communities in northern Israel.

Earlier in the day, another airstrike killed Hezbollah’s Hula region commander, who was responsible for firing hundreds of rockets and anti-tank missiles at Kiryat Shmona.