Irish troops are accounted for and well after the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said the Israeli Defence Forces dropped grenades near peacekeepers in Lebanon.
In a statement this evening, UNIFIL said that the IDF deployed grenades near peacekeepers working alongside Lebanese soldiers, who were providing security for civilian workers in Maroun ar-Ras.
It said the "workers were trying to clear the ruins of homes destroyed due to the war".
The Defence Forces said the incident involved members of the 126th Infantry Battalion in the IRISHPOLBATT Area of Operations.
Nobody was injured.
"Our soldiers continue to operate effectively, fulfil their mandate and are committed to their important role to provide stability and act as an independent observer in the region," the Defence Forces said in a statement to RTÉ News.
UNIFIL said that at around 11.30am yesterday, peacekeepers at two different sites heard a grenade explode near an excavator, about 500 metres away.
The Defence Forces can confirm that all Irish personnel deployed to Lebanon as part of the 126 Infantry Battalion are safe and accounted for. All necessary force protection measures continue to be observed.
— Óglaigh na hÉireann (@defenceforces) October 3, 2025
We echo UNIFIL's statement that attacks on peacekeepers or interference… pic.twitter.com/MBxc9dYQMy
Moments later, the first group saw a drone fly overhead and witnessed an explosion about around 30 to 40 metres away.
About 20 minutes after that, the second group saw another drone drop a grenade that exploded just 20 metres over their heads, it said.
Maroun ar-Ras is in close proximity to Irish UN troops.
It is located on a high point which overlooks the largest town in the Irish UNIFIL area, Bint Jbeil, beyond which Camp Shamrock is located.
UNIFIL said it had informed the IDF about its activity in advance.
It said it immediately demanded that attacks on peacekeepers stop.
"Attacks on peacekeepers or interference with their mandated tasks shows disregard for the safety and security of UNIFIL peacekeepers and the Lebanese army, and the stability they are working to restore in south Lebanon" the UNIFIL statement said.
"Such actions also constitute a serious violation of Security Council resolution 1701. We call on the IDF to cease attacks on or near peacekeepers, civilians, and Lebanese soldiers and allow us to carry out our mandated tasks without obstruction" it added.
In August, the UN Security Council voted today to withdraw UNIFIL forces from southern Lebanon.
The operation will be brought to a close in 2027, bringing to an end a mission which Irish troops have been associated with for nearly 50 years.
