LAST UPDATE | 31 Oct
THE MAIN IRISH base in south Lebanon, Camp Shamrock, was struck by a rocket overnight but no Irish soldiers were injured.
The facility located near At Tiri, officially designated as United Nations Post 2-45, was hit by what is believed to be a Hezbollah missile.
The rocket hit away from the accommodation blocks and bunkers, near the camp’s helicopter pad.
The projectile is understood to have been travelling north to south and was on its way to strike a target, likely in Israel.
The Irish share the camp with other nationalities, mostly Polish soldiers, and it is understood that all personnel are accounted for.
In a post on X this afternoon, Taoiseach Simon Harris said he has been briefed on the strike and is receiving regular updates on the Irish peacekeepers serving in Lebanon.
“Our troops are safe and well,” he said.
It is the latest incident of a Hezbollah rocket striking a UN post – it is believed a stray rocket hit UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura on the coast earlier this week.
It is not known if the Hezbollah strike was an intentional targeting of the Irish base but sources have said that such devices regularly malfunction and fall short of their intended targets.
Hezbollah has also been launching rockets from near UNIFIL positions.
There have also been a number of recent incidents in which UNIFIL troops have been injured by Israeli fire on various positions.
Irish soldiers of the 125th Infantry Battalion are holding an event today in Athlone before they leave for Lebanon next month to replace the existing 330 soldiers of the 124th Infantry Battalion.
Speaking at that event, Chief of Staff Lieutenant Seán Clancy confirmed that a Katyusha rocket “landed within 245 and this was by an armed element”.
These rockets are one of the primary weapons used by Hezbollah.
Clancy said his assessment is that the rocker was traveling from “north to south into Israel”.
“A lot of these are undirected, unguided, and therefore unpredictable rockets,” said Clancy, “and they have been known to fall and be taken down by the Iron Dome.
“It did fall in an unoccupied area of the actual camp itself and caused minimal damage on the ground.
He added that an ordinance officer “secured the area” and “dampened it overnight”.
Clancy further said that the device was “dealt with and made safe in the camp itself” this morning.
“All our personnel are safe and well, and of course, force protection is a priority for us,” said Clancy.
“All the precautions we take and have been taking, which are working quite well, worked effectively on this occasion,” he added.
Clancy also remarked that troops were in ‘Level Two’ at the time and went into ‘Groundhog’ after the rocket incident.
He explained that there is an “abundance of caution” within Level Two the involves troops “wearing all of their force protection equipment, moving cautiously around the camp where necessary, and unnecessary movements don’t take place during this time”.
Going to ‘Groundhog’ meanwhile involves troops taking cover in bunkers.
Meanwhile, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said the incident “illustrates the risks are there”.
“There’s no hiding from that fact,” said Martin, “we are in a very challenging environment, and that is why force protection is extremely important.”
He added that the incident highlights “why we are pushing very strongly for a de-escalation in the region”, which Martin described as “absolutely essential for the people of the region and the world”.
“We need to avoid an Israel-Iranian conflict as well,” said Martin, “because that could have very serious consequences for the world.”
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