LAST UPDATE | 2 Apr

THE CHIEF OF Staff of the Irish Defence Forces has said that the safety of Irish troops in Lebanon is under “constant review” and sought to reassure families at home. 

Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy made his comments as Irish peacekeepers are dealing with weeks of bombings and fighting in the area. 

Close to 300 Irish soldiers are based at a number of locations in South Lebanon where they are serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Sources have told The Journal that they have witnessed daily airstrikes and rocket launches as militant group Hezbollah and the Israeli Defence Forces trade blows. 

In the Irish area of operations, and the wider region where UNIFIL operates, there have been a number of incidents in which peacekeepers have been targeted by both sides. 

Irish troops in an armoured personnel carrier at their base in UNP 2-45 or Camp Shamrock. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

A Polish soldier, who is serving in the same Battalion as the Irish was injured in a roadside bomb attack and three Indonesian soldiers have also been killed further north. 

Irish soldiers have responded as a Quick Reaction Force to a number of the incidents, including the injury to the soldier from Poland and an attack on Ghanaian troops.

The Israeli government launched the incursion shortly after the start of the Iranian war after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel. A number of hard right politicians in Tel Aviv have said they will create a ‘buffer zone’ in the south as far as the Litani River. 

In his statement, Mulcahy said that, “he safety and wellbeing of our personnel is my foremost priority.

All necessary force protection measures are being strictly observed by our personnel and remain under constant review.

“We are working closely with our international partners within UNIFIL to ensure that all necessary precautions are in place,” he said. 

A Statement from Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy on the situation in Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/zCsXTtMUuE

— Óglaigh na hÉireann (@defenceforces) April 2, 2026

Mulcahy said that pre-deployment training undertaken by the 127th Infantry Battalion was helping to mitigate the risks.

“I want to reassure families at home that we are maintaining continuous communication, 24 hours a day, with the 127th Infantry Battalion as well as our personnel working in the UNIFIL and UNDOF HQs [Syria] and our UNTSO Staff officers [headquartered in Jerusalem and covering the Middle East].

“I can confirm that all our personnel across these three UN missions in the Middle East, are well and accounted for; amid ongoing tensions in the region. Any developments that may affect their safety are monitored in real time and appropriate actions are taken,” he said. 

Mulcahy also paid tribute to the soldiers and commended “your incredible courage and dedication at this time”.

“The work you are conducting is to the very highest professional standard, particularly during such a period of heightened volatility.

“You reflect everything that is great about those who serve in the Defence Forces. We are all extremely proud of your commitment to the UNIFIL mission and the enduring support you are providing in the region,” he added. 

Mulcahy said that the troops’ mission “remains unchanged for now, that is to Observe, Monitor and Report”.

“Our personnel, continue to act as the eyes and ears of the international community and remain committed to carrying out their framework operations during this period of heightened tensions,” he added. 

Speaking to The Journal in Kyiv this week, Foreign and Defence Minister Helen McEntee said she has written to the United Nations to “ask what their plans are and what their plans are”. 

“Because at what point would be my question, does a situation become unsafe because people have lost their lives?” 

The Minister released a statement this afternoon after taking part in a call convened by French Minister for Defence Catherine Vautrin, bringing together European troop contributing countries to discuss the situation in Lebanon, the United Nations peacekeeping mission, and developments on the ground.

McEntee said afterwards that it was her view that the increased attacks on patrols and the broader escalation in hostilities are placing peacekeepers at unacceptable risk.

“Ireland’s priority is the safety and security of our Defence Forces personnel and all peacekeepers. I will continue to work closely with partners to enhance force protection, contingency planning and ensure the mission can operate effectively in an increasingly volatile environment.

“Ireland remains steadfast in its commitment to peacekeeping and to supporting stability in Lebanon,” she said.