The Blue Helmets of the United Nations mission operating in Lebanon on the basis of Resolution No. 1701 of 2006, recently renewed at the end of August without substantial changes to the mandate of the UNIFIL mission (United Nation Interim Force in Lebanon), conducted from 20 to 23 September the six-monthly multinational and joint exercise Steel Storm II-2022.
The exercise event made it possible to train peacekeepers in the integration procedures of the various operational components of the military device composed of 48 nations, of which Italy is one of the most conspicuous components in numerical terms, as well as to increase coordination and cooperation between the operational units of the mission and the strategic counterpart represented by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF, Lebanese Armed Forces).
The “Steel Storm” saw the Italian soldiers and colleagues belonging to the other maneuvering battalions of the contingents deployed as part of the UNIFIL mission train in the use of individual and departmental weapons, developing static, dynamic and joint fire activities with the LAF belonging to the 5th Brigade, an operational unit deployed in the South Litani Sector (SLS), a geographical area in principle corresponding to the area of responsibility of the UN forces in the region.
The final day of the training activity was attended by the Head of Mission and Commander of the UNIFIL Forces in Lebanon, General of Division Aroldo Lazaro, and all the commanders of the units dependent on him, including Brigadier General Giuseppe Bertoncello, commander of the Western Sector and of the Italian Contingent.
The Italian mission in Lebanon led by the “Aosta” Brigade, in its third term in the Land of the Cedars with the colors of the United Nations, has the responsibility of the West Sector of UNIFIL in which 3,800 Blue Helmets from 16 of the 48 countries contributing to the UN mission operate and which includes over 1,000 Italian Blue Helmets.
The activities carried out in the Operational Theatre are conducted under the coordination and according to the directives given by the Joint Summit Operational Command (COVI), led by the General of the Army Corps Francesco Paolo Figliuolo. The COVI is the staff body of the Chief of Defence Staff, responsible for planning, coordinating and directing military operations, national and multinational joint exercises and related activities.
