By Wassim Seif El Din
BEIRUT (AA) – Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib on Monday described Israel's killing of Lebanese civilians as a "war crime."
On Sunday, Israel struck a civilian car in southern Lebanon, killing three children and their grandmother, according to Lebanese media.
Bou Habib also said his country will file a formal complaint with the UN Security Council about the killing of Lebanese civilians, the Lebanese official news agency NNA reported.
"Israel's killing of children and civilians is a war crime that clearly reflects its policy of intentionally targeting families, children, medics and journalists," the top diplomat added.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) described the killing of the four Lebanese civilians as" tragic."
"No one wants to see more people hurt or killed," said UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti.
“We remind all the parties involved that attacks against civilians are a violation of international law that may amount to war crimes,” he added.
Tension has flared along the border between Israel and Lebanon amid intermittent exchange of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006.
* Writing by Ahmed Asmar