16 EU countries to send UN forces to Lebanon "put maximum pressure on Israel"

The European Union and 16 EU countries that sent the UNIFIL in Lebanon have decided to put maximum pressure on Israel to prevent further damage to the forces.

Defense ministers from 16 EU countries made the decision in a video conference on the 16th local time, presided over by Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and French Defense Minister Sebastian LeCornu.

Italy's defence ministers from 16 EU countries "expressed a common willingness to exert maximum political and diplomatic pressure on Israel," the Italian defence ministry said.

"At the same time, Hezbollah has made it clear that it cannot use UN agents as shields," it added.

The 16 EU countries participating in the video conference, including Italy, France and Spain, account for more than a third of the 10,000 U.N. peacekeeping troops.