TAOISEACH Simon Harris has repeated calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East following the escalation of Israel’s military operations in Lebanon.
The Taoiseach is currently in New York attending the United Nations General Assembly High Level week.
Yesterday, on the first day of the summit, Israel launched a deadly air campaign in southern Lebanon which killed 492 people and left 1,645 wounded.
It marked the deadliest day of the conflict since 2006.
Addressing the incident from the UN, Mr Harris said he was “extremely concerned by the escalation of military actions on the Israeli-Lebanon border” before calling on “all sides to pull back from the brink of all-out war”.
“I am extremely concerned by the overnight bombardment of Southern Lebanon, the massive loss of life reported there and the spectre that now arises of a second catastrophic front in the war in the Middle East,” he said
“This week the world gathers at the UN to discuss peace and working together, while at the same time the Middle East is on the brink of further human catastrophe," he added.
Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese village of Khiam“An all-out war must be avoided at all costs. I will be using all my engagements at the UN to stress this point and I fully support the appeal from President Biden overnight for that to be the focus of all sides.”
Commenting on the Irish defence forces currently deployed in Lebanon as part of the UN peacekeeping force, Mr Harris confirmed all “are safe and accounted for”.
He added that he is “closely monitoring” the situation with Irish troops serving in southern Lebanon.
“The Government is receiving regular updates, and the Chief of Staff and Defence Forces are in constant contact and monitoring developments,” he said.
“Our troops in UNIFIL are well trained and their safety is our main concern.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris has reiterated calls for a ceasefireIn a statement, Óglaigh na hÉireann (Ireland's Defence Forces), said confirmed "all personnel currently deployed in Lebanon are safe and accounted for".
"Following concerning developments along the Blue Line in recent days, the Defence Forces, in coordination with UNIFIL, are actively monitoring the evolving situation," they added.
"Despite the increased tensions and volatility in the region, particularly within the area of operations for the 124 Infantry Battalion, framework operations continue where possible," they explained.
"The safety of our personnel remains a priority as they continue to promote peace and stability in the region.
"Our troops continue to demonstrate their commitment to their mission, working to uphold security and cooperation in this challenging environment.
"Óglaigh na hÉireann extends sincere gratitude to the families and friends of our personnel for their steadfast support throughout this deployment."
