Israel says it deeply regrets the accidental killing of 4 UN peacekeepers at an observation post in southern Lebanon on Tuesday. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan says the destruction of the post was an “apparent deliberate targeting”.

A peacekeeper’s body is still buried in the rubble of the outpost, and efforts to free the victims have been hampered by the fact that the Israeli offensive in southern Lebanon has shattered the road network, making access for heavy vehicles difficult.

Some 50 Indian soldiers of the UNIFIL force worked overnight with their bare hands and spades to free the three bodies.

Lebanese authorities say the dead men were from Austria, Canada, Finland, and China.

A UNIFIL spokesman says there were 14 other incidents of firing close to the observer post the same day.

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