The European Union has condemned attacks on U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon and rejected allegations that U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres is responsible for obstructing the Israeli army.

Sixteen EU countries are contributing to the UNIFIL peacekeeping force. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that “their work is very important. It’s completely unacceptable attacking United Nations troops.” Five peacekeepers have been wounded in attacks that struck their positions, with most blamed on Israeli forces.

A Hezbollah drone attack on an army base in central Israel killed four soldiers and severely wounded seven others Sunday, the military said, in the deadliest strike by Hezbollah since Israel launched its ground invasion of Lebanon nearly two weeks ago.

Hezbollah called the attack near Binyamina city retaliation for Israeli strikes on Beirut on Thursday that killed 22 people. It later said it targeted Israel’s elite Golani brigade, launching dozens of missiles to occupy Israeli air defense systems during the assault by “squadrons” of drones.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called on the U.N. chief to remove U.N. peacekeepers deployed in southern Lebanon out of "harm's way."

The Israeli military said on Sunday its troops in Lebanon had captured a Hezbollah militant, the first such announcement since it launched a cross-border ground offensive.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said that electing a new president was key to obtaining a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Lebanon has been without a head of state for almost two years amid a crushing economic crisis and, now, as Israel heavily bombards the country saying it is targeting Hezbollah sites.

Lebanese official media said an Israeli strike on Saturday targeted a marketplace in Nabatiyeh, an important south Lebanon city located around 12 kilometers (seven miles) from the Israeli border.

French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Hezbollah to end its strikes on Israel, after Israel's army said a barrage of projectiles were launched from Lebanon over the Yom Kippur holy day.

Lebanon's health ministry said Saturday that at least 15 people had been killed in Israeli strikes on three areas considered outside Hezbollah's traditional strongholds, updating earlier tolls.

Hezbollah said Sunday it clashed twice with Israeli troops who attempted to infiltrate near a Lebanese border village while claiming several other attacks overnight.

Hezbollah fighters detonated explosive devices at Israeli soldiers and "clashed with them as they attempted to infiltrate" twice near the Lebanese village of Ramia, the group said, reporting fighting that lasted about an hour.

The Israeli military said it intercepted about five projectiles fired from Lebanon on Sunday shortly after air raid sirens blared in several northern areas of Israel.