Irish Premier Micheal Martin has condemned a “reckless attack” on a United Nations Interim Force (Unifil) base in southern Lebanon. All Irish personnel serving with the UN peacekeeping mission remain safe and accounted for, he confirmed.
According to Irish national broadcaster RTE, the headquarters of Ghana’s peacekeeping battalion in southern Lebanon was hit by missile attacks, leaving two soldiers critically injured. Irish soldiers helped to evacuate the wounded Ghanaians.
The Irish Defence Forces stated that Irish troops and bases “were not targeted in the attack today on Unifil personnel”. They added: “All necessary force protection measures continue to be observed. We condemn any attack on Unifil personnel and remind all parties of their responsibility to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers.”
Mr Martin said on social media platform X: “I strongly condemn the reckless strike on a Unifil base in southern Lebanon. The role of peacekeepers is sacrosanct and all should go above and beyond to prevent them from coming into harm’s way.” He paid tribute to the Irish peacekeepers who aided their Ghanaian colleagues.
Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee described the deteriorating security situation in Lebanon as “extremely worrying”. She condemned Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel and the “disproportionate Israeli response”, calling on all sides to abide by the November 2024 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
