Colin Sheridan: No peace to keep — Irish soldiers confined to bunkers amid Lebanon escalation

Escalating regional conflict has left Irish Unifil troops largely bunker-bound as south Lebanon edges towards wider war

Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, early on  March 3. Picture: Bilal Hussein/AP

For decades, Irish soldiers deployed to south Lebanon with a clear, if delicate, purpose. 

Under the banner of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), their days were defined by routine: Vehicle patrols along the Blue Line, foot patrols through villages, engagement with local leaders, and civil military co-operation projects that supported the local population and, more importantly, built trust.