The conflict between Israel and the Hamas has intensified in the last few days as the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) launched multiple bomb campaigns in Gaza to attack the Palestinian armed group.
The fighting, which has been going on for the last ten days, has become the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides, with more than 4,000 dead.
While the Indian government is concerned about the violence and loss of lives in the Israel-Hamas war, there is another reason why India can get caught in the crossfire. Indian troops have been deployed to the southern border of Lebanon where tensions have escalated due to firing between Iran-backed Hezbollah and the Israel army.
Why Indian Troops are Deployed at Israel-Lebanon border
There are around 900 Indian soldiers who have been deployed at the Israel-Lebanon border as part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The Indian troops in the UNIFIL are stationed at the 110-km-long ‘Blue Line’, which has witnessed fierce confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah forces in the past.
Apart from the Israel-Lebanon border, there are also another 200 Indian soldiers deployed as part of the UN Disengagement Force (UNDOF) at Golan Heights between Israel and Syria.
The UNIFIL peacekeepers have been stationed at the Lebanon border ever since the 1978 Israeli invasion. The 900 soldiers have been stationed at the UNIFIL line since 1978 and have been deployed at the Blue Line, a region which has seen an increased number of confrontations between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
The objective of the Indian soldiers is to maintain peace between the two conflicted countries. Currently, there are around 10,500 peacekeepers deployed at the border from 48 nations.
Earlier, the UN peacekeeping mission announced on Sunday that a rocket shell had fallen on its site in southern Lebanon, with no reported casualties. The Israel’s military also fired artillery towards Lebanon. As per reports, there were explosions detected near Al-Boustan in Southwest Lebanon on Monday.
Tension at Israel-Lebanon border
The tension at the Israel-Lebanon border has escalated in the past weeks as Lebanese Hezbollah fighters launched attacks on Israeli army posts facing retaliation from Israel. The sporadic firing between the two countries has raised concerns that the conflict could spread into the subcontinent.
Hezbollah attacked on Shtula, a farming community near the border, killing one person and wounding three others in the worst border-violence since a month-long war in 2006 entered its second week. The Israeli military conducted retaliatory strikes in Lebanon and declared a zone within 4 km of the Lebanese border off-limits to public access, Reuters reported.
Israel’s defence minister said Israel has no interest in waging war on its northern front and that if Hezbollah restrains itself then Israel will keep the situation along the border as it is.
Hezbollah has said it is ready to fight Israel and that it would not be swayed by calls from Arab states and foreign powers for it to stay on the sidelines.
India’s contribution to Peacekeeping
India has contributed to the UN peacekeeping mission since 1948 where it contributed thousands of troops to maintain the peace across countries. During these missions, the Indian troops have also been caught in the middle of several wars and remained on the frontlines of other countries.
India currently has 5,934 soldiers deployed in different UN peacekeeping operations around the world, according to a report in The Times of India.
Since, the Indian troops are on the frontlines of the conflict between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, it is likely that there could be heavy shelling on the UNIFIL line leading to casualties.
In 2022, the UN peacekeeping forces witnessed a death toll of 4,207 fatalities, with Indian casualties being the highest at 175, followed by Pakistan (166) and Bangladesh (160). In total, India has lost 159 soldiers in UN operations over the decades, including six in UNIFIL and two in UNDOF.
Comments
0 comment