According to the Times of India (ToI), India is closely monitoring the situation in southern Lebanon, where there have been recent reports of rocket launches and artillery use as tensions rise in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Israel is now facing a multi-frontal conflict, with Hamas attacks from Gaza, Hezbollah from Lebanon, and unknown militias from Syria.
As the conflict increases, the Indian government is also attempting to bring back stranded Indian students from Israel.
The Report
Indian concerns arise because around 900 Indian soldiers are deployed in the region as a part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). There are around 200 Indian soldiers deployed as part of the UN Disengagement Force at the Golan Heights between Israeli and Syrian Forces.
Quoting an Indian official, the ToI report mentioned, “There have been no attacks or blasts in the areas where the Indian contingent is deployed.”
The UNIFIL
The UNIFIL is deployed along the Blue Line, a 110 km long demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel, and Lebanon and the Golan Heights, marked in 2000.
The UNIFIL has around 10,500 peacekeepers from 48 countries.
Amid the escalation in Lebanon, the peacekeeping force has urged Israel and Hezbollah to de-escalate the situation and avoid misunderstandings.
Despite some very challenging days and concerning events, the situation in UNIFIL’s area of operations is currently stable, although volatile.
— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) October 10, 2023
Situation in Lebanon
UNIFIL claimed that several rockets were fired from southeast Lebanon towards Israeli-occupied territory in the Kafr Chouba area on Sunday.
The Palestinian group Hamas claimed responsibility for a rocket attack. Furthermore, Hezbollah exchanged fire with Israel on the third day of the conflict.
Additionally, explosions also took place near Al-Boustan in southwest Lebanon on Monday.
Hezbollah, a Shiite militant group backed by Iran, launched rockets towards northern Israel on 8 October.
The group launched dozens of rockets and shells at three Israeli positions in Shebaa Farms (also known as the Mount Dov region in Israel) in solidarity with the “Palestinian resistance.”
In response, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) used artillery fire, conducted a drone strike against Hezbollah infrastructure in the area, and used its interceptor Patriot missile.
On 9 October, a senior IDF official and two soldiers were killed in a clash with Islamic Jihad gunmen who infiltrated Israel from Lebanon.
Three Hezbollah members were killed in Israeli retaliatory strikes.
The IDF said that 15 rockets were fired from Lebanon, and an anti-tank guided missile was launched.
Conflict with Syria
Apart from the recent skirmishes with Lebanon, another precarious front has been triggered with Syria.
Several mortars were fired from Syria at the Golan Heights on Tuesday.
Israeli troops fired artillery and shells towards Syria in response, targeting the origin of the mortar fire.
#Hamas launches thousands of rockets and kills over 700 Israelis in one of the deadliest attacks on #Israel. The #IDF retaliates with airstrikes in #Gaza, killing over 300 Gazans. Learn more:https://t.co/WgXrNIRHZO#Palestine #Israel #Hamas #Gaza #TelAviv #Jerusalem #Hezbollah
— Statecraft (@statecraftdaily) October 9, 2023
India in UN Peacekeeping
Besides UNIFIL, 200 Indian soldiers are also deployed in the UN Disengagement Force (UNDOF) at the Golan Heights between Israeli and Syrian forces.
India has deployed 5,934 soldiers in 12 different UN peacekeeping operations worldwide.
Over the decades, the country has lost 159 soldiers in UN operations globally, including six UNIFIL and two UNDOF soldiers.
The highest number of Indian troop casualties have been reported from three operations so far. These include the UN Emergency Force (UNEF), the UN Operation in the Congo (ONUC) and the UN Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM).