Israel wants to intimidate Ireland’s peacekeepers in Lebanon rather than directly ham them, a leading security analyst has said.

All of Ireland’s peacekeeping troops in the country are ‘safe and accounted for’ after Israel reportedly opened fire on three UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) positions in the country yesterday.

Two non-Irish UN peacekeepers were injured in the attacks.

Israel is being condemned for the attacks with UNIFIL warning that “any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law”.

“We remind the IDF 9Israeli Defence Forces) and all actors of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property and to respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times,” it said.

Soldiers of the 124th Infantry Battalion at Camp Shamrock in Debel before the visit of Tánaiste Micheal Martin, 19-05-2024. Image: PA Images / Alamy

It noted that the UN peacekeepers are in Lebanon to “support a return to stability under the UN Security Council mandate”.

Security and defence analyst Declan Power told Newstalk that Israel’s aim is to intimidate rather than harm the peacekeepers.

“In this case, I don’t think the Israeli intent is to want to directly seriously harm peacekeepers – but they want to harass them,” he said.

“Whether that is being guided from the top down remains to be seen but it does need to be reined in if it is not something that is strategy because it is very easy for people to get seriously hurt when you are using high-level munitions in this way.”

Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and of Security Council resolution 1701.

We are following up with the IDF on these matters.

— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) October 10, 2024

UNIFIL said the recent escalation in violence along the blue line between Israel and South Lebanon is “causing widespread destruction of towns and villages”.

It said UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura have been “repeatedly hit” in recent days.

“This morning, two peacekeepers were injured after an IDF Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall,” it said.

“The injuries are, fortunately, this time, not serious but they remain in hospital.

“IDF soldiers also fired on UN position (UNP) 1-31 in Labbouneh, hitting the entrance to the bunker where peacekeepers were sheltering and damaging vehicles and a communications system.

“An IDF drone was observed flying inside the UN position up to the bunker entrance.

“Yesterday, IDF soldiers deliberately fired at and disabled the position’s perimeter-monitoring cameras.

“They also deliberately fired on UNP 1-32A in Ras Naqoura, where regular Tripartite meetings were held before the conflict began, damaging lighting and a relay station.”

This morning, two peacekeepers were injured after an IDF Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall. The injuries are fortunately, this time, not serious, but they remain in hospital.

— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) October 10, 2024

UNIFIL moved to remind the IDF and all actors of their obligation to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and to “respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times”.

Overnight, Israeli air strikes hit buildings in Beirut and a school sheltering displaced people in central Gaza, killing at least 45 people.

The Lebanon strikes targeted two densely packed neighbourhoods in central Beirut, killing at least 22 people and wounding dozens more, according to Lebanon's health ministry.

The Israeli military previously described the neighbourhoods as Hezbollah-affiliated.

It's believed the strike was aimed at taking out a senior Hezbollah leader Wafiq Safa; however, it's understood he survived.