The new Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is set to arrive in Beirut in the coming hours for his first visit to Lebanon following the formation of the new Italian government led by Giorgia Meloni. This visit aims to fulfill the annual traditional visit by a senior Italian minister, accompanied by a delegation of high-ranking officers from the Italian army's General Staff, to inspect their country’s units within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) operating in the south.
Today, Tajani is scheduled to meet with both Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati, before meeting with Army Commander General Joseph Aoun. According to information from "Al-Joumhouria," the Italian minister, whose country is the largest contributing force to UNIFIL—led by an Italian—is very interested in the ongoing investigations into the murder of an Irish soldier working with UNIFIL and the wounding of three others in the southern coastal town of Al-Aqbieh.
Sources indicated that Tajani hoped, prior to his arrival in Beirut, that significant progress had been made in the investigations to identify the shooter who targeted the vehicle of the "Irish Civil Force," which was en route from southern Lebanon to Beirut International Airport to transport comrades for a holiday trip in their home country.
The sources also pointed out that the operation is serious, and cooperation in handing over the detained individuals is a non-negotiable issue for the United Nations leadership and the commanders of the units participating in UNIFIL. This is to conclude the investigations in a manner that ensures the safety of international forces and prevents any potential attacks at any time, fearing that negligence in handling the situation could lead to unexpected consequences. Underestimating the potential outcomes of this incident would show a profound ignorance of the international community's insistence on what is required.
