Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon safe after Israeli air strikes

All Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon are safe and accounted for after Israel launched a wave of air strikes across the southern part of the country.

Israeli military undertook what it described as “pre-emptive” strikes against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon early on Sunday, saying it had detected plans to attack Israel.

Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed group based in southern Lebanon, itself launched drones against targets in Israel, saying it was acting in response to the killing of one of its top commanders in an air strike on Beirut last month.

The heavy exchange of fire threatened to trigger a war that could draw in the United States, Iran and militant groups across the region.

It could also destroy efforts to forge a ceasefire in Gaza , where Israel has been at war with the Palestinian group Hamas, an ally of Hezbollah, for more than 10 months.

Irish premier Simon Harris said the Government was monitoring the situation very closely and emphasised the importance of a “de-escalation in tensions” in the region.

He said the Irish soldiers on a UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon were all accounted for.

“Of course, from an Irish point of view, we’re very carefully monitoring the situation in relation to the Unifil (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) mission,” the Taoiseach said in Cork.

“Both our Defence Forces and Unifil headquarters are monitoring the wellbeing of our peacekeepers.

“We’ve been informed that they are all safe, they are secure and that they are accounted for and, of course, that’s important that we continue to monitor this.”

Ireland’s deputy premier and foreign affairs minister Micheal Martin said he had been briefed by the Irish army’s chief of staff Sean Clancy.

He was told that the Irish peacekeepers in the region had sheltered in bunkers overnight.

“I have been briefed by the chief of staff on the situation in Lebanon following the strikes between Hezbollah and Israel overnight,” Mr Martin said.

“I have been advised that while Irish personnel serving in Unifil have taken shelter in secured bunkers overnight, all are safe and accounted for.

“The Defence Forces and Unifil HQ continue to monitor the situation closely and the Chief of Staff will continue to update me accordingly.

“It is imperative that we see the immediate de-escalation of military hostilities by all parties.”

There are 332 Irish members of the 124th battalion, which also includes several Maltese, Polish and Hungarian personnel.

The battalion began its six-month deployment to Lebanon in May as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil).