Irish troops in southern Lebanon are well, accounted for and prepared for "this period of heightened intensity", a spokesman for the Defence Forces has said.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Commandant Alex Quigley said that operations are ongoing but force protection measures are in place, which can be scaled up and down to match the intensity of the situation.
Earlier, the Israeli defence minister instructed his troops to "take control of additional strategic positions in Lebanon", while the pro-Iran armed group Hezbollah said it targeted an Israeli tank on the outskirts of the Lebanese border village of Kfar Kila.
Cdt Quigley said there are strikes happening at the moment, but the personnel are trained and prepared to operate in such environments and framework operations are still ongoing.
There are times where personnel may be deployed to bunkers due to incoming strikes, he said, adding that this had happened yesterday.
"From the bunkers they are still able to maintain a situational awareness and fulfil the mandated tasks they have to."
Cdt Quigley said that the patrol routine has been interrupted but troops can operate from the bunkers and stay in communication with the two forward posts and can report back on what they are seeing.
He said that troops are still in position on patrol, such as in Camp Shamrock, but they are in and out of 'groundhog' or bunkers as required.
Cdt Quigley said that any decision to move troops from their positions will be done at UNIFIL headquarters, the UN and the government levels.
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The United Nations has said that at least 30,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon due to the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East.
In terms of Defence Forces troops staying in contact with their families, Cdt Quigley said that family liaison officers are operating as points of contact and that there is WiFi in the camp, so when the situation allows troops can contact home.
He added that the Defence Forces press office will put out updates on social media also.
Israel says it is creating buffer zone in Lebanon
Israel has said it is establishing a buffer zone inside Lebanon and had ordered its troops to seize additional positions across the border, as several projectiles were fired from Lebanese territory into Israel.
Military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said: "In practice, Northern Command has moved forward, taken control of the dominating terrain, and is creating a buffer, as we promised, between our residents and any threat."
In response, the Lebanese army said it has redeployed soldiers from several recently established border positions following the Israeli army's "escalation", a Lebanese military source told AFP.
Thousands flee from border area
The Lebanese government took the unprecedented step of outlawing Hezbollah's military activities on Monday.
The pro-Hezbollahal-Akhbar newspaper condemned this as a "capitulation to dictates, which could even lead to the outbreak of civil war".
Meanwhile, the Israeli military has ordered residents of dozens of south Lebanon villages to evacuate.
"This displacement is harder than the last one," said Nuzha Salame, a woman sheltering in the city of Sidon after fleeing her village. "Now we're in hardship and deprivation, and we're still out in the streets.
The United Nations said that, by Monday, at least 30,000 people, including 9,000 children, had sought protection in shelters, while many more were expected to join them.
The US embassy in Beirut said it was shutting until further notice due to regional tensions.
Govt considers contingency plans for Irish in Middle East
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Syria sends thousands of troops to Lebanon border
Syria has reinforced its border with Lebanon with rocket units and thousands of troops, eight Syrian and Lebanese sources have said.
The sources included five Syrian military officers, a Syrian security official and two Lebanese security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Syrian officers said the Syrian reinforcement operation began in February but sped up in recent days.
The Syrian and Lebanese armed forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Syrian officers, including a senior member of the military, said the move was aimed at preventing arms and drugs smuggling as well blocking Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah or other militants from infiltrating Syria.
A Syrian officer told Reuters that military formations from several Syrian army divisions, including the 52nd and 84th Divisions, have expanded their presence along the border in western Homs countryside and south of Tartus.
The reinforcements include infantry units, armored vehicles and short-range Grad and Katyusha rocket launchers, the official said.
The Syrian security official said Damascus had no plans for military action against any neighboring country. "But Syria is prepared to deal with any security threat to itself or its partners," he said.
Additional reporting AFP, Reuters
