UNIFIL peacekeeping forces in south Lebanon recently conducted a series of intensive training exercises for Western sector units aimed at improving operational readiness and response capabilities across multiple units, UNIFIL said in a statement relayed by the state-run National News Agency Sunday.

These activities focused on "critical areas such as preventing unauthorized infiltration, enhancing surveillance, and improving emergency response skills in the face of missile attacks and other security challenges."

At Shamaa Base, in the southern town of Shamaa (Nabatieh), military police and security personnel conducted targeted exercises designed to "enhance their ability to prevent unauthorized intrusions while strengthening their rapid-response and surveillance capabilities."

Simultaneously, the Italian Battalion "simulated medical emergency scenarios, including the treatment of simulated casualties in missile attack situations, to improve their immediate response skills in real-life emergency situations."

According to a statement from UNIFIL, a comprehensive evaluation of the Irish-Polish Joint Battalion was also carried out, which included "assessing operational readiness and response speed. The evaluation involved all operational branches, including personnel affairs, operations, logistics, communications, training, and civil-military cooperation."

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been stationed in southern Lebanon since 1978, primarily with the mandate to maintain peace and stability in the region. UNIFIL’s role has evolved over the years, especially following the 2006 Lebanon War, but its core objectives remain focused on conflict prevention, peacekeeping, and providing humanitarian assistance.

On April 17, UNIFIL announced it had resumed joint patrols with the Lebanese Army, which was "suspended in late September 2024 following intensification of the conflict in the area."

"Foot patrols along the Blue Line remain on hold for the safety of army personnel and peacekeepers, due to the presence of unexploded ordnances and Israeli forces in Lebanese territory," UNIFIL added.