BEIRUT: Italy voted Wednesday to reduce the number of its peacekeepers in Lebanon by more than one-third, just a day after five French U.N. peacekeepers were wounded in a roadside bomb attack.

Senators voted in favor of reducing Italy’s contribution to the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, bringing 700 of 1,780 soldiers back to Rome, as international and local condemnation of Tuesday’s attack increased.

President Michel Sleiman telephoned French counterpart Nicholas Sarkozy to express his concern for the victims and called for the speedy apprehension of the bombers.

“Destabilizing security is forbidden under any pretense, especially against friendly states that have sent their troops to help the Lebanese Army in safeguarding security and stability in the country’s south and helping implement U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701,” a statement from Baabda Palace said.

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri also condemned what he termed a “terrorist attack.”

“Lebanon, in all of its national components, will remain loyal to France’s commitments to its causes, and to the role played by the French battalion in the framework of the tasks assigned to it within UNIFIL to maintain security and stability in southern Lebanon,” a statement from Hariri’s press office said.

For his part, Hezbollah official Ammar Musawi telephoned French Ambassador Dennis Pietton to voice his party’s denunciation of the bombing.

The roadside bomb attack struck a five-vehicle convoy of French peacekeepers heading south from Beirut at just after 6 p.m. local time. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has repeatedly called for a Lebanese amnesty on nonstate arms, condemned the roadside bomb in a briefing late Tuesday by his spokesperson Martin Nesirky.

“UNIFIL and Lebanese authorities are coordinating closely to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. The secretary-general hopes that the perpetrators are swiftly identified and brought to justice,” the spokesperson said.

“The secretary-general is deeply disturbed by this attack on UNIFIL, the second in the last two months. The security and safety of all United Nations personnel in Lebanon is of paramount importance.”

The U.S. called on Lebanese authorities “to conduct a full investigation into the incident and ensure the perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice.”

EU high representative Catherine Ashton joined calls for a thorough investigation into the incident.

“UNIFIL, alongside the Lebanese Armed Forces, plays a crucial role in maintaining peace in the south of Lebanon,” a statement from Ashton’s office said.

“The High Representative calls on the Lebanese authorities to investigate the reasons behind the attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

U.K. Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Alistair Burt, described his government as “deeply concerned” by the attack. “My sympathy is with the injured and their families,” Burt said. “It is in the interest of all parties to ensure that UNIFIL is able to fulfill its duties unhindered.” The attack bore similar hallmarks to the bombing of an Italian UNIFIL convoy south of Sidon in May, which wounded six peacekeepers.

Although Italy’s decision to pull troops from Lebanon Wednesday came as part of a larger program of military cuts, it is thought that May’s attack on its nationals had some bearing on the bill to slash troop numbers.

Military Judge Saqr Saqr designated the army’s intelligence team to carry out a preliminary investigation into the attack. However, a judicial source told The Daily Star that, contrary to some reports, the army has not yet arrested any suspects in the case. “The rumors that the army has already arrested several individuals involved in the case are incorrect,” said the source.

According to the source, the investigation is currently interviewing several witnesses, adding that the investigation is taking several directions based on the nature of the attack.

The wounded Frenchmen flew back to Paris later Wednesday. One was said to be in critical condition.

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams dispatched his security adviser to inspect the scene of the blast, as Lebanese and UNIFIL investigators continued to assess the bomb site.

Commenting on the attack, UNIFIL spokesperson Neeraj Singh said Lebanese authorities were responsible for the security of U.N. troops in the country.

“It is very important that the ongoing investigation goes forward on an urgent footing so that the perpetrators are swiftly identified and brought to justice,” Singh told reporters at UNIFIL’s Naqoura headquarters.

France is the biggest troop contributor to UNIFIL after Italy, with 1,320 soldiers. Its contingent has been involved in several altercations with southern residents in recent years, resulting in the slight redeployment of French soldiers in south Lebanon.

The most serious bomb attack on UNIFIL came in June 2007, when three Spanish and three Columbian peacekeepers were killed as their convoy passed a booby-trapped car in south Lebanon. Several members of Fatah al-Islam were sentenced in absentia for the attack. – Additional reporting by Mohammad Zaatari, with AFP