IRISH UN troops in Lebanon were forced to take shelter for some hours yesterday as hostilities broke out between Israeli troops and Lebanese Hezbullah paramilitaries.
The Irish area came under Israeli bomb and machine gun attacks, but no Irish troops were wounded.
The bombardment came after Lebanese Hezbullah paramilitaries fired rockets into Israel, injuring 13 people. Israeli warplanes dropped five bombs in the Irish and Nepalese areas.
Some 100 shells and heavy machine gun fire also hit the Irish area.
The hostilities were caused by the death of a teenager on Monday.
He died when a bomb exploded in a village in the Irish area, but Israel denied responsibility for the bomb.
The Minister for Defence, Mr Barrett, yesterday reviewed the next battalion of troops due to take up UN peacekeeping duties in Lebanon.
It leaves next week for a six month tour of duty.