Risk Irish soldiers will die in Israeli airstrikes – Senator Tom Clonan
There is a risk that Irish peacekeepers will die in Israel’s airstrikes on Lebanon, a security expert has warned. Over 550 people, including 50 children, have been killed in the Israeli airstrikes since Monday, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Meanwhile, the BBC reports that Hezbollah has retaliated by launching hundreds of rockets into northern Israel, with two people treated for shrapnel wounds. Last week, thousands of pagers were blown up across Lebanon, killing dozens of people and injuring thousands more. Both Hezbollah and the Lebanese Government have blamed Israel for the attack. On Lunchtime Live, former Defence Forces member Senator Tom Clonan said Irish troops are operating in a “very tough environment” in Lebanon. “In 1996, as peacekeepers in Lebanon, we experienced a very similar bombardment from the Israelis,” he said. “They engaged in a punitive operation against the people of south Lebanon. Credit to : Newstalk