The army is to reinforce its contingent in Lebanon, some of whom came under heavy fire last night. An Irish position, manned by troops of the First Southern Brigade, was hit by a heavy mortar round. Fifty rounds from a heavy machine gun were also directed at it. The firing is believed to have come from Israel's self-declared security zone, from which Israeli troops are due to withdraw by July. The area where the Irish troops came under fire last night is said to be quiet but tense today.
The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General David Stapleton, said fifty extra soldiers and four armoured personnel carriers would be sent to Lebanon. The decision to send extra Irish troops to South Lebanon comes at the request of the UN. It is aimed at increasing the number of UNIFIL troops in the area in advance of the Israeli withdrawal from its self declared 'security zone' which is due to be completed on July 7. In recent times there has been daily exchanges of fire between Israel and its proxy force in the area, the South Lebanese Army, and the Shiite guerilla group, Hezbollah.
Speaking in Northern Israel during the week, the Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, warned that Israel will be "less restrained" in its response to Hezbollah attacks once they have withdrawn from South Lebanon. This could lead to even heavier shelling and more air raids on South Lebanon where Hezbollah are concentrated and where the Irish UNIFIL troops are based.
Israel's South Lebanon Army militia said it has closed another post ahead of the Jewish State's planned withdrawal. The SLA gave no reason for the closure, the third in less than two weeks, but a source said it was intended to minimise exposure to guerrilla attacks. An SLA statement issued earlier this month said its troops were re-deploying in the South ahead of Israel's planned pullout in July.
