📰 5 sources 7 articles · 27 Oct 2026, 13:39 → 16 days ago

Irish foreign minister's Beirut visit: UNIFIL's future and a warning of a new war

Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Helen McEntee's visit to Beirut covered the future of UNIFIL and Ireland's role in it, and the possibility of a European alternative force if the mandate is not extended. It coincided with Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji expressing fear of a new war he said Hezbollah is preparing at Iran's request, with continued Israeli operations in the south and US pressure on Beirut.

📍 Where things stand: No decision has yet been reached on an alternative formula for UNIFIL, while Lebanon awaits the Israeli election results and the quadrilateral meeting in Tehran amid rising US pressure.

⏱️ Timeline

27 Oct 2026, 13:39 Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji received Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Helen McEntee; they discussed Ireland's role in UNIFIL and the incident that killed an Irish soldier, and the two sides agreed on the need to keep an international presence in the south.
27 Oct 2026, 13:44 Speaking before the Irish minister, Rajji expressed fear of a new war he said Hezbollah is preparing at Iran's request, stressing the need for Israel's withdrawal and an end to its violations, and referring to the government's decisions to confine weapons and support the Lebanese army.
28 Oct 2026, 00:00 President Joseph Aoun told Irish Minister Helen McEntee of Lebanon's wish that UNIFIL complete its mission for the specified year and its welcome for a European force if the mandate is not extended; he accused Israel of not abiding by the agreement and continuing its violations, while Lebanon monitors with concern the Israeli election results and their impact on the south and the negotiations with Israel.
28 Oct 2026, 00:13 Israeli operations in the south continued with shelling and explosions, amid information that Hezbollah is rebuilding its military capabilities with Iranian funding, while political activity was split between Rajji's warning of a new war, President Aoun's discussion of UNIFIL's future with Ireland, and internal demands to confine weapons to the state.
28 Oct 2026, 02:07 The Irish minister's visit to Beirut revived the "Irish experience" idea of addressing Hezbollah's weapons through a gradual negotiated path, but parliamentary sources said the model has not entered serious discussion, amid rising US and Israeli pressure and Hezbollah's warnings of an internal explosion.
29 Oct 2026, 00:00 President Joseph Aoun affirmed Lebanon's commitment to UNIFIL's continued presence or to the deployment of a European alternative force, after discussing with the Irish minister the continuation of UNIFIL's tasks or finding a European alternative formula in cooperation with the United Nations. This coincided with US pressure on Beirut over Hezbollah and the Daher al-Baidar explosives file, threats of sanctions, and anticipation of the Israeli election results and the quadrilateral meeting in Tehran.

Timeline written by AI from the sources below; updated as new reports arrive.

How the sources covered it

Some coverage focused on Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji's remark about a new war "at Iran's request", while others focused on the diplomatic track, UNIFIL's future and the European alternative formula, and one added the field situation in the south and US pressure.

MTV Lebanon It led with the Rajji-McEntee meeting and the agreement on keeping an international presence in the south, and included the incident that killed an Irish soldier, Rajji's warning of a new war, and the government's decisions on confining weapons and supporting the army.
lebanon debate Its coverage was devoted to Rajji's remarks before the Irish minister, with a headline framed as a "new war at Iran's request".
Lebanon ON It limited itself to Rajji's warning of a new war Hezbollah is preparing at Iran's request, without the details on UNIFIL or the international presence.
annahar.com It led with Lebanon's demand for a European force after UNIFIL and concern over the Israeli elections, and carried President Aoun's positions and his accusation that Israel is not abiding by the agreement.
المدن It combined the field situation in the south and information on Hezbollah rebuilding its capabilities with Iranian funding, and addressed the "Irish experience", parliamentary sources, US pressure and the Daher al-Baidar explosives file.