UN peacekeeper hurt by Israeli grenade in Lebanon

BEIRUT, Oct 12 (AFP): The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon said Sunday that one of its members was wounded by an Israeli grenade dropped near a UN position in the country's south, the third incident of its kind in just over a month.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been working with the Lebanese army to support a November ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and militant group Hezbollah that culminated in two months of open war.

"Just before noon yesterday, an Israeli drone dropped a grenade that exploded near a UNIFIL position" in Kfar Kela, the force said in a statement published on Sunday.

"One peacekeeper was lightly injured and received medical assistance."

Earlier this month, UNIFIL said Israeli drones had dropped multiple grenades near peacekeepers providing security for workers clearing rubble left over from the war.

And in a similar episode in September, UNIFIL said Israeli drones had dropped four grenades near peacekeepers, with Israel insisting at the time that there had been "no intentional fire" directed at the force.