The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), which is comprised of approximately 360 Irish personnel, is facing uncharted hostility from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF have reportedly been targeting the peacekeeping mission, which has over 10,000 personnel in the southern region of Lebanon, a number of times throughout the past week.
The aggressive Israeli army’s actions are transforming the local circumstances quite drastically and making future outcomes hard to forecast, contributing to a volatile and unpredictable scenario. The Unifil troops have been subjected to attacks by the Israeli forces.
The most recent of these confrontations unfolded on Thursday when Unifil’s Naqoura base was hit with explosions, causing injuries to two peacekeepers. Unifil’s spokesperson, Andrea Tenenti, emphasised the importance of retaining their presence under the United Nations banner in spite of these onslaughts. The peacekeepers were initially deployed following a request and a subsequent resolution by the UN Security Council.
In his words, they would continue their operations unless it becomes unfeasible due to the situation on the ground. The IDF, meanwhile, show no signs of reducing their build-up in southern Lebanon, and Unifil positions continue to bear the brunt of their tank-fire attacks, making more such incidents all but inevitable.
Insiders suggest that the primary reason Unifil remains on the ground is to prevent Israel from having free rein to march into southern Lebanon and initiate the kind of indiscriminate fighting that has decimated vast tracts of Gaza over the past year following the Hamas terrorist strikes on Israel in October 2023.
This viewpoint is shared by Senator Tom Clonan, an ex-Army officer who has served in Lebanon. He concurred that the Israelis’ objective was to divest the region of Unifil’s presence in order to have undeterred access for their continued push into southern Lebanon towards Hizbullah.
The speaker highlighted that Israel’s implementation of a ‘success strategy’ seeks to dismantle Hizbullah, with little or no consideration for the global reaction to its actions. Notwithstanding their limited ability to patrol southern Lebanon, Unifil troops possess the capability to monitor, log, and document Israeli military activities. The data collected are compiled into everyday reports which provide valuable input to the global community on how to address Israel’s actions.
Senator Clonan’s remarks underline the pivotal role of Unifil at this point and its absence could threaten the United Nation’s fundamental authority and logic. The assertion that Unifil could be intimidated to abandon a mission by one nation poses risks to the world’s trust in the UN, potentially empowering countries like Russia, China, and Iran.
Cathal Berry, formerly the Army Ranger Wing’s deputy commander and currently an Independent TD for South Kildare, supports the continuation of Unifil’s mission. He rejected the idea that the Defence Forces would consider a solitary exit from the mission. “We either persist with Unifil or depart with Unifil. Irish servicemen are the mission’s backbone, their withdrawal would deeply impact the mission” Berry commented. Furthermore, he suggested that for Unifil troops, staying at their present locations which mostly consist of underground shelters, is a safer strategy than initiating a withdrawal movement that implies higher vulnerability to attacks.
The Irish forces have encountered hazards in this area as well as other globally. They have shown aptitude in altering their operational rate to suit the challenge at hand. Berry lauds the senior officials in their ability to curtail risks, and states that their experience is actively being utilised.
Berry, an experienced operative with numerous international missions including assignments in Lebanon and Syria, clarified that Unifil troops, despite being peacekeepers, are not prohibited from defending themselves when under attack from the IDF, which includes retaliating if necessary. He mentioned that they possess anti-tank rockets and medium-range anti-tank missiles capable of striking a tank from a distance of 3km. He underscored that the troops are skilled, equipped, and fully authorized to respond with force if their lives are threatened, regardless of whether their mission is for enforcing peace or maintaining it.