Projectile hits U.N. peacekeeping headquarters in southern Lebanon

A projectile hit the headquarters of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, according to UNIFIL. The mission said it believes the projectile was fired by a non-state actor.

The impact happened just before noon Sunday at the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, in Naqoura, a coastal town in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel.

UNIFIL is the U.N. peacekeeping force deployed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities and help maintain stability along the border area.

UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said peacekeepers recorded intense gunfire and explosions in and around Naqoura over the previous 48 hours. Bullets, fragments and shrapnel hit buildings and open areas inside the headquarters, forcing peacekeepers to remain in shelters to avoid injury.

The spokesperson said peacekeepers with explosive ordnance disposal expertise were working to deal with the projectile that struck the building. “We believe it was fired by a non-state actor,” she added.

Canadian officials said members of the Canadian Armed Forces deployed at Camp Naqoura were safe and accounted for, according to a statement cited by the Toronto Star.

The incident comes as fighting in the region has intensified since the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran late last month. Israel has also carried out strikes against Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group based in Lebanon.

“We reiterate that there is no military solution to this conflict and urge the actors to put down their weapons and commit to working toward a long-term solution, before more people get hurt,” UNIFIL said.