Italian PM's Visit to Lebanon Amid UN Peacekeeper Safety Concerns

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is scheduled to visit Lebanon on Friday. She intends to demand security guarantees from Israel, particularly regarding the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), where Italy has stationed over 1,050 troops. This visit comes amidst a heightened row over Unifil's role, which intensified over the weekend. Notably, Italy has been a strong supporter of Israel since Hamas' attacks on October 7. In the recent conflict, at least five peacekeepers were wounded as Israeli forces targeted Hezbollah positions, leading to accusations that Israel fired on peacekeepers. Prime Minister Meloni has expressed her opposition to a withdrawal of peacekeepers from the region based on Israel's unilateral request, deeming it a "serious mistake."