Israeli tanks ram through gates of UN base

Israeli tanks burst through the gates of a UN base in southern Lebanon as Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the organisation to leave immediately.

The UN said tanks forcibly entered a base of its peacekeeping force, the latest accusation of violations and attacks that have been denounced by Israel’s own allies.

It comes as Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, called on the UN to evacuate the troops of the Unifil peacekeeping force from combat areas in Lebanon.

“The time has come for you to withdraw Unifil from Hezbollah strongholds and from the combat zones,” Mr Netanyahu said in a statement addressed to Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General.

“The IDF has requested this repeatedly and has met with repeated refusal, which has the effect of providing Hezbollah terrorists with human shields,” he said.

Five peacekeepers have so far been wounded in a series of strikes that have hit peacekeeping positions and personnel in recent days, most of the attacks blamed by Unifil on Israeli forces.