Official: Israeli fire killed U.N. peacekeeper in January

An Israeli security official says the Israeli military was responsible for the death of a Spanish U.N. peacekeeper during an outbreak of violence between Israel and Hezbollah militants on the tense Israel-Lebanon border in January.

The official said on Tuesday that Cpl. Francisco Javier Soria Toledo was accidentally killed by Israeli artillery following a Hezbollah attack that killed two Israeli soldiers.

The official says Israel did not intend to harm U.N. forces. She spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to talk to reporters.

After the incident, Spain’s U.N. ambassador blamed Israel and the U.N. Security Council condemned the killing. A U.N. diplomat said Israel apologized to Spain, but Israel had not publicly admitted responsibility.

Israel’s military presented its investigation of the incident to the Spanish army.