Irish peacekeepers have a long history of putting themselves in the firing line in Lebanon — and becoming so close with locals that people speak English with a Cork accent, Richard Hall writes

Austin says he spoke to Yoav Gallant to discuss Israel's operations in Lebanon. He adds that he reaffirmed the US' support of Israel's "right to defend itself", and a US commitment to a "diplomatic arrangement that safely returns both Lebanese and Israeli civilians to their homes on both sides of the border".

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pressed his Israeli counterpart to take steps to prevent IDF soldiers from firing at UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, the Pentagon said on Friday, while three European leaders issued a joint statement condemning Israel's attacks.

Responding to the news, the Irish Defence Forces said that all of their personnel were "well and accounted for"