LAST UPDATE | 2 hrs ago
THE IRISH DEFENCE Forces Chief of Staff has said he believes the attack on a UNIFIL peacekeeping position in Lebanon by the Israeli military was “not an accidental act”.
Earlier today, the Israeli military said its forces fired at a “threat” near a UN peacekeeping mission position in southern Lebanon this afternoon, and acknowledged that a “hit” was responsible for wounding two people.
Asked on RTÉ News’s Six:One programme this evening if he believes the Israeli statement, Lt General Seán Clancy said: “In these circumstances, I don’t.”
The UN mission earlier said two of its peacekeepers were injured after explosions close to an observation tower at its Naqoura headquarters – the second such incident in the last 24 hours, which has sparked global condemnation.
Lt General Clancy detailed that an observer tower at the base had been hit “directly” by a tank round adding that that was a “very small target”.
“It has to be very deliberate, and it’s a direct fire. So from a military perspective, this is not an accidental act. It’s a direct act.”
The Journal understands the injured soldiers are Sri Lankan.
Yesterday, two Indonesian peacekeeping soldiers were injured when their watchtower was fired on at Naqoura. It is believed an Israeli Merkava tank was responsible.
Lt General Clancy told the programme that he found the Israeli military’s presence around the UNIFIL camps concerning and added that its forces are moving westward towards the mission’s HQ, along Lebanon’s coast line.
He said that the concentration of forces are escalating around the area and that there are continuing “direct attacks” on bases. He added that the two peacekeepers that were injured today suffered greater injuries compared to the Indonesian soldiers yesterday.
The Chief of Staff said:
“It’s an egregious violation in my view, the actions are reckless and they need to be accountable in terms of what is happening under any circumstances. Attacks on UN peacekeepers cannot be tolerated.”
In a statement today, the IDF said some of its soldiers operating in southern Lebanon “identified an immediate threat against them”.
“The soldiers responded with fire toward the threat. An initial examination indicates that during the incident, a hit was identified on a UNIFIL post, located approximately 50 meters from the source of the threat, resulting in the injury of two UNIFIL personnel,” it said.
Hours before today’s incident, “the IDF instructed UNIFIL personnel to enter into protected spaces and remain there. This instruction was in place at the time of the incident,” the military added.
“The IDF is in contact with UNIFIL for coordination purposes and will continue to do so. The IDF is continuing to examine the circumstances of the incident.
It concluded: “The Hezbollah terrorist organization deliberately operates with the intent to harm Israeli civilians from civilian areas and near UNIFIL posts, thereby endangering UNIFIL personnel.”
The statement came shortly after the military said it was “conducting a thorough review” to determine details of attacks on UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, after the four mission members were injured.
“The IDF expresses deep concern over incidents of this kind and is currently conducting a thorough review at the highest levels of command to determine the details,” the military said.
UN peacekeepers patrolling the Lebanese side of the border with Israel have been thrust into the violence of the Israel-Hezbollah war that has killed more than 1,200 people in Lebanon, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry figures, and displaced a million others.
There has been extensive fighting by Israel Defence Forces soldiers and Hezbollah in the area of Naqoura. The seaside area is on the western flank of the UNIFIL area of operations in South Lebanon.
This location is where the large UNIFIL headquarters is located which includes offices for command and meeting rooms. Other facilities include a hospital facility and accommodation for a large amount of troops.
There is a town next to the camp and this has apparently been the focus of Israeli activity in recent days.
There is a small team of Irish soldiers based at Naqoura who work in the headquarters staff. They are in management positions and administrative roles.
The other Irish camps are some distance from the Naqoura Headquarters and are about 40 minutes by road inland or roughly about 30 kilometres.
With reporting from Muiris O’Cearbhaill, Niall O’Connor and © AFP 2024
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