Irish soldiers stationed in Lebanon took refuge in secure bunkers for the night, and all are safe and accounted for. This follows an intense exchange of fire between Hizbullah and Israel, with Hizbullah retaliating against Israel for last month’s murder of a high-ranking Beirut officer by firing hundreds of rockets and drones.
Before the attack, Israeli jets targeted positions in Lebanon, as they anticipated Hizbullah was preparing a significant onslaught, according to military sources. In response, Hizbullah claimed to have launched over 320 Katyusha rockets towards Israel, hitting 11 of their military targets.
Currently, a total of 375 members, made up of an Infantry Battalion and staff, are deployed at the Unifil headquarters in Naqoura and Shama in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border.
Michéal Martin, as Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, declaring on Sunday morning that all Irish personnel had taken cover in secure bunkers and were safe. Gen. Seán Clancy, the Chief of Staff, had briefed him, Martin said.
He added that “The Defence Forces and Unifil HQ are closely monitoring the situation, and the Chief of Staff will keep me posted. It is crucial for all the involved parties to de-escalate the military hostility immediately.”
The Irish government had earlier advised against travelling to Lebanon in a notice issued in October 2023, if it could be avoided. Mr Martin repeated this advice late in July as security conditions worsened. “I advise any Irish citizens in Lebanon to leave by commercial transport. Please be mindful that if security conditions worsen, our ability to assist may be hindered,” he warned. Israel claimed its strikes in Lebanon prevented a more substantial Hizbullah attack.