Lebanon, interview with Unifil commander: growing tension between Israel and Hezbollah, evacuation plans updated

Although the situation in South Lebanon is characterised by tension and extreme unpredictability, this should not lead to easy alarmism or arouse particular concern at the moment. I would like to remind you that Defence has acquired a wealth of experience during peacekeeping missions in numerous crisis areas abroad, and is therefore capable of handling any increase in tension in the area.

Is there an important increase in the frequency of attacks?

In the area of our responsibility, there are repeated attacks of increasing intensity carried out by both sides with artillery strikes, rocket launches and the use of drones, mainly near the 'blue line', the demarcation line separating Lebanon from Israel. At the moment, these actions would still seem to be aimed - the conditional is a must - at re-establishing the mutual balance of deterrence.

Did it happen that Italian soldiers had to seek refuge in bunkers in the last period?

Yes, it happened that the maximum alert level went off at our bases. As per established procedure, all personnel took shelter in the bunkers and wore helmets and bulletproof vests. However, no damage was recorded to persons or property inside the bases housing the Italian military and those of other nations deployed in South Lebanon.

Even if Italian soldiers are not direct targets, is there a risk of their involvement in the clashes between the parties?

The real risk, so far averted, is that we will move from 'simple skirmishes' to a wider conflict. I would also add that we have an excellent intelligence apparatus and that we are further increasing security measures to protect the bases and the personnel working there. On this last aspect, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto would like to be updated on a daily basis, and General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, the Defence Inter-Agency Summit Operations Commander, wanted to ascertain this in person during his recent visit to our contingent and the soldiers serving at the forward bases along the 'blue line'.

Del contingente multinazionale Unifil fanno parte 1.000 militari italiani, oltre 500 dei quali appartenenti alla Brigata “Sassari”, che operano nella basi di Shama, Al Manosuri e nelle basi avanzate UNP 1-31 e UNP 1-32 A ubicate a ridosso della “blue line”

Has the alert level at the bases been raised?

The state of alertness varies from time to time depending on the situation, certainly we are one hundred per cent operational.

Have the evacuation plans for Italian personnel been updated, with the alerting of ships and transport aircraft?

The synergic work of the Inter-Forces Summit Operations Command (COVI) and the Farnesina Crisis Unit made it possible to update the evacuation plans for our military and Italian civilians present in Lebanon.

Operating in the field, do you have the feeling that the situation could deteriorate further in the coming days or even hours?

Conditions of extreme unpredictability currently exist. In such cases, one must concentrate on the tasks assigned to fulfil the mission.

In your daily experience, is the 'blue line', i.e. the demarcation line separating Lebanese and Israeli territory, respected by the parties? Do you record frequent violations of Resolution 1701??

We are witnessing frequent violations on a daily basis (which have often also happened in the mission's past) by both sides, who ultimately have to fully implement the Resolution 1701 in order to return immediately to a cessation of hostilities. On 28 August, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2749, extending the mission's mandate until 31 August 2025. The Security Council strongly urged all actors concerned to implement immediate measures for de-escalation and to take all steps to respect the security of UN personnel and bases. Unifil stands ready to support this implementation, but cannot replace the parties. I recall that resolution 1701 helped to ensure more than 17 years of relative stability for communities in northern Israel and southern Lebanon. Current events further demonstrate that this resolution is even more relevant today. The United Nations in Lebanon will continue to support the parties and work towards this goal and to work with international partners to support all diplomatic and political efforts.

Do you think that the current set-up guarantees the full security of personnel and, at the same time, allows the mission to operate effectively?

Absolutely.

What solutions could be adopted to improve the situation?

None in particular, except to continue to work impartially and transparently for peace in one of the most strategically important areas for the balance in the Middle East. We do this by monitoring the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, by strategically cooperating with the Lebanese armed forces for the security and stability of the area, and by supporting the local population with civil-military cooperation interventions, in the consideration that it is precisely the civilian population that pays the highest price for the clashes we have been witnessing for almost a year now.

How many men and means are currently operating within the Italian contingent?

Currently, the maximum annual size authorised by Italy for the national contingent employed in the mission is approximately 1,200 military personnel, 350 land vehicles and 6 air vehicles.

How far have the displaced people returned from the villages along the demarcation line? There is talk of 90,000 people: can you confirm the number?

According to discussions with the mayor of Tyre, who is also president of the Union of Municipalities of the district of the same name, the figure is around 100,000. On 9 September, a large collection of basic necessities was destined for these needy people, who are in a particularly difficult situation because they have been forced to abandon their villages due to the devastating effects of the fighting that has been going on for about a year. As commander of the 'Sassari' Brigade, I feel proud of this civil-military cooperation project, which is the result of the great generosity of the Sardinian people and, in particular, of the municipal administration of Sant'Antioco. It is worth remembering that Lebanon and Italy, Lebanon and Sardinia, Sant'Antioco and Tyre are proud of the millenary culture that has linked them since the time of the Phoenicians, feelings of mutual closeness between cultures, proudly sealed with the 2017 twinning between the Sardinian town and the Lebanese municipality.

How do you manage to guarantee humanitarian support to the population, at this stage when relations between the parties are so complex?

As peacekeepers, we believe that the best and most immediate way to help the population is to continue to fully implement the mandate and aim for a de-escalation of tensions, so that people can return to their homes and regain some normality. I trust in the relationships that we Italians have forged over the years with the communities in South Lebanon and with the local authorities. The success of the intervention strategy of the civilian-military component of the Italian Unifil contingent lies above all in the extraordinary capacity of the Italian military to interact with all the components of society present in the variegated Lebanese mosaic. The one adopted by the Italian 'blue helmets' is an innovative and effective intervention model, which, on the one hand, aims at increasing the involvement of local resources and skills capable of generating positive economic spin-offs in the area, and, on the other, reinforces security and stability in the area, preventing and reducing possible tensions within the area of our responsibility.

Does the Tripartite Forum meet regularly or has the current crisis situation interrupted the dialogue between the Israeli and Lebanese Armed Forces?

In the absence of formal relations between Israel and Lebanon, and therefore of a permanent ceasefire agreement - the ultimate aim of the UN resolution - tripartite meetings are the only effective instrument, to which the parties have adhered so far, to attempt to resolve delicate security issues, through mediation by Unifil representatives. The last meeting, which is usually held monthly and is chaired by Spanish General Aroldo Lazaro Saenz, mission chief and commander of the Unifil forces in South Lebanon, took place in September last year. Bilateral talks with both sides continue separately.

In how many areas of competence is Sector West divided? Which other countries are involved in this sector? What is Italy's area of responsibility? Are the bases Shama and Al-Mansouri? ?

Since 2 August, the 'Sassari' Brigade, on its third mission in Lebanon under the colours of the United Nations, has assumed command of the Italian contingent and of Unifil's western sector, in which around 3,500 'blue helmets' from 16 of the 49 nations deployed in the western region of the 'Land of the Cedars' operate. Unifil's western sector is divided into five intervention areas in which, in addition to the Italian contingent, a South Korean battalion, a Malaysian battalion, a Ghanaian battalion and a mixed Irish-Polish battalion operate. The multinational contingent includes 1,000 Italian soldiers, over 500 of whom belong to the 'Sassari' Brigade, operating in the bases of Shama, Al Manosuri and in the advanced bases UNP 1-31 and UNP 1-32 A located close to the 'blue line'.