Middle East Blue helmets will maintain "all their positions" in Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu once again demanded on Monday that the blue helmets deployed in southern Lebanon should withdraw from some positions near the Israeli-Lebanese border.

He declared that it was completely "wrong" that the Israeli armed forces had targeted Unifil, the UN force in Lebanon. Tensions between Israel and Unifil have increased in recent days. Five of its soldiers have been injured by the Israeli army.

"It has been decided that Unifil will maintain all its positions despite the calls by the Israeli army to evacuate the positions near the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel," said the head of the UN peacekeeping missions, Jean-Pierre Lacroix.

The UN Security Council expressed "grave concern" on Monday after blue helmet soldiers in Lebanon were injured by the Israeli army, which is conducting military operations against Hezbollah in the south of the country.