Irish troops in southern Lebanon are well, accounted for and prepared for “this period of heightened intensity”, a spokesman for the Defence Forces has said.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Commandant Alex Quigley said that operations are ongoing but force protection measures are in place, which can be scaled up and down to match the intensity of the situation.
Earlier, the Israeli defence minister instructed his troops to “take control of additional strategic positions in Lebanon”, while the pro-Iran armed group Hezbollah said it targeted an Israeli tank on the outskirts of the Lebanese border village of Kfar Kila.
Cdt Quigley said there are strikes happening at the moment, but the personnel are trained and prepared to operate in such environments and framework operations are still ongoing.
There are times where personnel may be deployed to bunkers due to incoming strikes, he said, adding that this had happened yesterday.
“From the bunkers they are still able to maintain a situational awareness and fulfil the mandated tasks they have to.”
Cdt Quigley said that the patrol routine has been interrupted but troops can operate from the bunkers and stay in communication with the two forward posts and can report back on what they are seeing.
He said that troops are still in position on patrol, such as in Camp Shamrock, but they are in and out of ‘groundhog’ or bunkers as required.
Cdt Quigley said that any decision to move troops from their positions will be done at UNIFIL headquarters, the UN and the government levels.
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Meanwhile, a Lebanese army source told AFP that Israeli forces have advanced into a border area in the Lebanese territory.
“Israeli ground forces advanced from Kfar Kila and the Khiam plains,” along the Lebanon-Israel border, the source said, expressing concern over “Israel’s attempt to establish a broad security belt in south Lebanon”.
The United Nations has said that at least 30,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon due to the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East.
In terms of Defence Forces troops staying in contact with their families, Cdt Quigley said that family liaison officers are operating as points of contact and that there is WiFi in the camp, so when the situation allows troops can contact home.
He added that the Defence Forces press office will put out updates on social media also.
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Additional reporting AFP