Irish troops 'all well and accounted for' in South Lebanon

Defence Forces personnel are deployed in the region as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil).

Micheál Martin also met Prime Minister of Lebanon Nawaf Salam and pressed him over justice for Private Sean Rooney who was killed in the country.

Drones came within 500m of an Irish naval ship during Zelenskiy’s visit, but the Defence Forces and Taoiseach have said restraint was the right move.

The 127th Infantry Battalion came under "small arms fire" at 6.30 pm on Thursday evening, but "all personnel are well and accounted for".

The soldiers’ children, partners and grandparents waved handmade signs and UN and Irish flags in the arrivals hall at Terminal 1 of Dublin Airport.

Simon Harris said the idea of having peacekeepers leaving soon would have been ‘wholly irresponsible’.

The former Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Mark Mellett has warned that Lebanon could turn into Gaza if the Unifil peacekeeping forces do not remain in place.

Ireland remains committed to renewing the Unifil mission, the Tánaiste has said.

Sean Rooney, 24, from Newtowncunningham in Co Donegal, was killed on December 14th, 2022.

A formal ‘demarche’ has been served on the Israeli government through the UN.

Minister for Defence Simon Harris described the incident in southern Lebanon on Thursday as ‘reckless, intimidatory, totally unacceptable’.

The new body armour will provide ‘state-of-the-art protection’ to troops during their missions, the Tánaiste said.

Lieutenant-Colonel Shane Rockett, commander of the 125 Infantry Battalion at Camp Shamrock, said the situation is the worst he had seen.

It is Lieutenant General Seán Clancy’s last overseas trip in the role.

The Tánaiste raised the case of Private Seán Rooney in a meeting with ministers ahead of a visit to troops currently serving in Lebanon

Simon Harris is visiting Lebanon this week against a backdrop of heightened tensions with Israel.

The Tánaiste is to visit Irish peacekeeping troops in the country.

Antonio Guterres paid tribute to Private Sean Rooney in a letter to his mother.

A commanding officer of the peacekeeping battalion said that amid the escalating conflict in Lebanon, troops ‘will look after each other’.

A camp in southern Lebanon where Irish peacekeeping troops are based has been struck by a rocket, the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces has confirmed

Simon Harris met Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati at Government Buildings.

He will express the sympathies of the Irish people on the loss of life and the level of destruction taking place in Lebanon.

Simon Harris is in Brussels for a meeting of the European Council.

Simon Harris will also attend a meeting of the European Council during his visit to Brussels.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has raised “serious concern” with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog after Israeli forces fired on UN peacekeeping posts in southern Lebanon.

He is said to have pressed that “the security of Irish peacekeepers serving in the region is paramount”.

Simon Harris said he is ‘extraordinarily concerned’ about the escalating conflict in southern Lebanon.

Simon Harris is to call for an immediate ceasefire in the region at the European Council.

A Dublin coroner that she had not received a reply to date to a request she had sent to the UN on August 6th.

Irish Defence Forces are serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon amid heightened conflict in the region.

Simon Harris urged that any firing at United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) positions ceases

There are currently 379 Irish Defence Forces personnel serving with the UN’s Unifil mission in south Lebanon.

The Taoiseach said he was ‘deeply concerned’ by the escalation of military actions on the Israeli-Lebanon border.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin called for an ‘immediate de-escalation’ of hostilities from all sides.

The Defence Forces said no Irish personnel were injured when a shell exploded near the UN's Blue Line in Lebanon

Micheál Martin made his comments as he met soldiers preparing to deploy to Lebanon on UN peacekeeping duties