Italy says rocket lands inside UNIFIL base in Lebanon, no injuries reported

A rocket landed inside a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) base in Lebanon’s Shama area, which hosts the Italian contingent of the mission, the Italian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

According to the ministry, the origin of the rocket is still under investigation.

No injuries were reported among Italian personnel stationed at the base, while only minor damage was reported to a military vehicle.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto is in contact with Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Luciano Portolano, Commander of the Joint Operational Headquarters Lt. Gen. Giovanni Iannucci, and the commander of the Italian contingent in Lebanon to closely monitor developments.

“Investigations are currently underway to accurately determine the origin of the rocket and the circumstances of the incident,” the statement said.

UNIFIL, which was launched to monitor the Israel-Lebanon border area, involves 10,000 troops from various nations.

Since March 2, Israel has waged a deadly offensive against Lebanon that has killed 2,702 people, wounded 8,931 and displaced more than 1.6 million, about one-fifth of the population, according to official figures.

Despite the ceasefire, Israel continues to violate the agreement daily with airstrikes and the demolition of homes in southern Lebanon.