logo
ENع
#

Latest news with #SouthLebanon

Irish troops come under fire while on patrol in Lebanon
Irish troops come under fire while on patrol in Lebanon

Irish Times

time2 days ago

  • General
  • Irish Times

Irish troops come under fire while on patrol in Lebanon

Irish peacekeepers came under fire in south Lebanon on Thursday. The Defence Forces said that Irish troops were unharmed in the incident. Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were responsible. He said he had been 'briefed on an incident in southern Lebanon whereby Irish soldiers were fired at by an IDF patrol close to the Blue Line'. The Defence Forces said they received reports that a number of shots were fired in the area of a joint Irish peacekeeper and Lebanese Armed Forces patrol in south Lebanon. READ MORE In a statement, Oglaigh na hEireann said a number of small arm rounds were fired in the vicinity of the area in which the patrol was operating. 'The patrol withdrew from the area, there was no injuries to the personnel on the patrol and no damage reported to the armoured vehicles they were operating from,' they said. 'All personnel of the Irish contingent in Lebanon are reported to be safe and well, they continue to monitor the situation in southern Lebanon and are committed the stability of the region as impartial peacekeepers. 'We wish to remind all actors of their responsibility to ensure the safety and security of UN peacekeepers.' The Defence Forces can confirm that they have received reports of an incident this morning involving a joint Irish UNIFIL & Lebanese Armed Forces Patrol near the Blue Line in South Lebanon. A number of small arm rounds were fired in the vicinity of the area in which the Patrol… — Óglaigh na hÉireann (@defenceforces) The Tanaiste said the incident illustrates the dangers that Defence Forces personnel face as they continue to maintain peace in south Lebanon. 'I want to firstly send my best wishes to the Irish Defence Forces personnel affected in today's incident,' he said in a statement on Thursday. 'While am very pleased to report that all personnel are safe and well, the fact they came under fire while on patrol is deeply worrying. 'Today's incident illustrates the dangers that our peacekeepers face every single day while on a patrol in a region that has been increasingly unstable and volatile.' The Irish Defence Forces currently has 340 personnel serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.- Press Association

Israel kills municipal worker at water well in south Lebanon: Mayor
Israel kills municipal worker at water well in south Lebanon: Mayor

Al Jazeera

time2 days ago

  • General
  • Al Jazeera

Israel kills municipal worker at water well in south Lebanon: Mayor

An Israeli drone strike that has killed one person in a south Lebanon village targeted a municipal worker operating a water well, not a Hezbollah member as the Israeli military had claimed, according to the Mayor of Nabatieh al-Fawqa Zein Ali Ghandour. Ghandour said on Thursday that the victim, Mahmoud Hasan Atwi, was 'martyred' while on his official duty of trying to provide water for the people of the town. 'We condemn in the strongest terms this blatant aggression against civilians and civilian infrastructure as well as the Lebanese state and its institutions,' the mayor said in a statement. Ghandour called on the international community to press the issue and put an end to Israeli violations. The Israeli military had claimed that it fired at a 'Hezbollah operative' who it said was 'rehabilitating a site' used by the group. Israel has been carrying out near-daily attacks in Lebanon in violation of the ceasefire agreement it reached with Hezbollah in November of last year, causing mostly civilian deaths and injuries. Last week, the Israeli military launched a wave of air strikes across south Lebanon that it said targeted Hezbollah infrastructure. Israel has also been regularly firing at fields and civilian homes on the Lebanese side of the border. On Thursday, an Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade on the southern village of Beit Lif, injuring at least one person, Lebanon's National News Agency reported. Israel claims that its attacks are in enforcement of the ceasefire, which requires Hezbollah to pull its forces to the north of the Litani River, about 30km (18 miles), from the border, in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolution 1701. But the Israeli military has been carrying out strikes in the entire country, not just south of the river. Israel has bombed the Lebanese capital Beirut several times this year. Early in April, an Israeli strike assassinated a Hezbollah official and killed three others in the Beirut suburbs of Dahiyeh. Israeli troops also continue to occupy parts of southern Lebanon in breach of the truce. The ceasefire last year ended an intense Israeli bombing campaign that followed months of low-level hostilities linked to the war in Gaza between Hezbollah and Israel that were largely confined to the border area. Hezbollah emerged weakened from the war after losing its top political and military officials, including its longtime chief Hassan Nasrallah, in Israeli attacks. Since the end of the war, Hezbollah has not responded to Israeli violations, saying that it is giving the Lebanese state the opportunity to stop the attacks through diplomatic channels. The group has warned, however, that its patience may run out. But it is unclear if Hezbollah is capable of confronting Israel militarily as it was able to for decades – including hastening an end to Israel's occupation of south Lebanon in 2000 and fighting a 2006 war to a stalemate – after the heavy blows it suffered during the war. Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun, have repeatedly called on France and the United States – the main sponsors of the ceasefire deal – to pressure Israel to end its abuses. Pressured by the US on disarming Hezbollah, Aoun has said the issue is a 'delicate' one.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store