Israel has been intensively bombing Lebanon for several weeks, and for over a week it has been conducting a ground operation in the south of the country, saying that its targets are members of Hezbollah – an Iranian-backed organization that has been fighting Israel for decades with varying intensity.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the UN peacekeeping force in the country, said on Thursday that its headquarters and nearby positions have been “deliberately” targeted by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), adding that two of its peacekeepers were injured by Israeli tank fire.

UNIFIL said in a statement: “Two peacekeepers were injured after an IDF Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall.

“The injuries are fortunately, this time, not serious, but they remain in hospital.

“Yesterday, IDF soldiers deliberately fired at and disabled the position’s perimeter-monitoring cameras. They also deliberately fired on UNP 1-32A, where regular Tripartite meetings were held before the conflict began, damaging lighting and a relay station.”

Andrea Tenenti, a spokesperson for UNIFIL, told the BBC: “We’ve been deeply concerned for days or for months but now it’s very serious because we are there to ensure stability, safety, to bring back stability that now doesn’t exist.

“But targeting peacekeepers, it’s a grave violation of international humanitarian law.”

The two soldiers belonged to a contingent sent to Lebanon by Ireland.

Reacting to the attack, Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Simon Harris issued a statement, in which he said that the Irish soldiers “are continuing to carry out their mission with distinction, despite the extremely difficult circumstances.”

He further added: “Firing on peacekeepers can never be tolerated or acceptable. The blue helmet worn by UN peacekeepers must be sacrosanct.

“They are serving on behalf of the international community in some of the most challenging places in the world. They are not combatants, and their role must be respected at all times.”