Lebanon is ablaze following the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and with the ongoing Israeli offensive that could lead to a ground offensive in the short term.

The approximately 1,200 soldiers of the Sassari Brigade who lead the UNIFIL mission are often forced to go down into bunkers, but for now the contingent remains in place, along the Blue Line, the buffer zone on the border with Israel .

Defense Minister Guido Crosetto reiterated this, specifying that the contingent is ready to leave the area with an evacuation plan that will be triggered if the situation were to worsen. The plan involves planes and ships ready to enter into action .

Antonio Tajani spoke with the Foreign Minister of Tel Aviv, Israel Katz, "to get guarantees on the Italian soldiers who are in the most complicated place, where there are clashes between Hezbollah and the Israelis . I obtained guarantees that there would be no attacks where our soldiers are. That is what is happening, it is a commitment kept and that they are keeping."

There are ten thousand soldiers in total in the UN operation that has been active for 46 years . The national contingent is led by General Stefano Messina . Crosetto has daily meetings with General Messina, with the Chief of Defense Staff, Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, with the commander of Covi, Francesco Figliuolo and with colleagues from the countries in the area.

The blue helmets, the minister reiterated, "are not the direct target of the attacks, even if the increase in the level and intensity of the clashes makes accidental involvement possible . At this time the presence of our military is an element of guarantee that we hope can induce the parties to de-escalate, creating the conditions to reopen the dialogue and start mediation".

There is concern for security: "The situation, although extremely delicate, with reference to our soldiers does not present any immediate criticality. The withdrawal is therefore not under discussion at the moment".