India on Friday said it was “concerned” at the “deteriorating” security situation in parts of West Asia, amid reports that United Nations peacekeepers have been caught in the intensified fighting in southern Lebanon.

In a statement,  Ministry of External Affairs(MEA)also said New Delhi continues to monitor the situation closely.

“We are concerned at the deteriorating security situation along the Blue Line. We continue to monitor the situation closely,” the MEA said. 

There are about 600 Indian soldiers as part of the UN peacekeeping force, it was learnt.

The 120-km Blue Line is a United Nations-recognised demarcation line to indicate that Israel had withdrawn its military from southern Lebanon. It separates Lebanon from Israel and the Golan Heights, but it is not an official international border.

“Inviolability of UN premises must be respected by all, and appropriate measures taken to ensure the safety of UN peacekeepers and the sanctity of their mandate,” the MEA said in its statement.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, said in a statement on October 10 that “recent escalation along the Blue Line is causing widespread destruction of towns and villages in south Lebanon”.

“In the past days, we have seen incursions from Israel into Lebanon in Naqoura and other areas.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers have clashed with Hizbullah elements on the ground in Lebanon,” it alleged in the statement.

“This morning, 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 UN statement read.

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

The situation along the Israel-Lebanon border has escalated rapidly after the killing of former Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have accused Hezbollah of operating in areas near UNIFIL posts. In a statement, the IDF said, “The IDF is operating in southern Lebanon and maintains routine communication with UNIFIL.”

“This morning (Thursday), IDF troops operated in the area of Naqoura, next to a UNIFIL base.

Accordingly, the IDF instructed the UN forces in the area to remain in protected spaces, following which the forces opened fire in the area,” the statement added.