Over 200 Irish soldiers from the 124th Infantry Battalion made an emotional return to Ireland on Monday after completing a six-month deployment in South Lebanon as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The troops arrived at Dublin Airport, where joyous scenes unfolded in the arrivals hall. Families, including children holding balloons, waving flags, and bearing handmade posters, eagerly welcomed their loved ones back.
During their mission, the Irish soldiers operated in the IRISHPOLBATT Area of Operations, an area impacted by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Throughout their deployment, the troops faced multiple instances of heavy fighting, which required them to seek refuge in protected positions and bunkers.
Tensions escalated last month when a UNIFIL outpost near the Israel-Lebanon border sustained damage amidst fierce clashes between the two sides.
Communication challenges further compounded the difficulties, as WiFi outages in the region limited the soldiers’ ability to contact their families.
Among those waiting at the airport was Sarah McCabe from Belfast, accompanied by her young daughter Saoirse. Sarah, a cardio-physiologist at Belfast Children’s Hospital, shared the struggles of managing family life during her husband Sean’s absence.
Sean Pol, a veteran of the Irish Defence Forces with 18 years of service, has been deployed before, but the heightened tensions in the Middle East this time added to the family’s concerns.
This deployment comes at a particularly volatile time in the Middle East, with Irish peacekeepers playing a critical role in maintaining stability in UNIFIL’s operational zones.
Their return home marks the end of a challenging mission and provides a moment of relief and celebration for families across Ireland.
