The number of United States troops travelling through Ireland has increased by almost 80 per cent before and during US attacks on Iran, figures obtained by The Irish Times show.
In January, 2,012 troops passed through Shannon Airport. The following month, as the US and Israel prepared for war, that figure rose to 2,602. In March, after the start of the conflict, it increased to 3,604.
In total, 8,218 US troops transited through Shannon, according to figures provided by Shannon Airport Group. The March figure represents a 79 per cent increase on the numbers arriving in January.
Earlier this week it was revealed that the number of overflights of Irish airspace by US military aircraft has also increased dramatically since the war began at the end of February.
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The Government has denied facilitating the US attacks by allowing US forces to use Irish airspace. It has also rejected Opposition calls to close Irish airspace to US military involved in the war, similar to measures taken by Spain and Switzerland.
[ 248 US military flights over Ireland went unreported due to ‘administrative error’ ]
The US has been using Shannon as a refuelling stop for troop transports for decades. In the 10 years after its invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, around two million soldiers passed through the airport.
Its use by US forces has long been protested against by peace and neutrality campaigners.
Over the years, many campaigners have been charged with attempting to gain access to the airport to protest against the US presence.
Last week, a man was arrested for allegedly attacking a US troop transport aircraft with a hatchet after it landed in Shannon Airport.
Soldiers transiting through the airport in Co Clare are typically armed with personnel weapons. Foreign governments are required to seek prior permission to transport weapons through Ireland.
However, Irish authorities do not carry out inspections of US aircraft to enforce this regulation. They also rarely deny permission for weapons to be transported through Ireland.
On Monday, The Irish Times revealed how the Department of Foreign Affairs had failed to report almost 250 overflights by US military aircraft since last summer due to what was said was an “administrative error”.
The unreported figures included a 56 per cent increase in US military overflights of Ireland in March after the attacks on Iran began.
Responding to Opposition criticism following the report, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was concerned and surprised by the underreporting, which has since been corrected.
Asked if the State were facilitating the war’s continuance by failing to prohibit the military overflights, he said: “I think it’s a stretch by any yardstick to suggest that the Government is facilitating the war because of overflight. I don’t think that’s a sustainable proposition.”
Separately, Donald Trump has said he has ordered the US navy to “shoot and kill” boats placing mines in the Strait of Hormuz as the struggle between the US and Iran to control international shipping continued.
On social media, the US president said: “I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be ... that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. There is to be no hesitation.”
Iran closed the strait after the war was started by the US and Israel on February 28th. Tehran says it will not reopen the waterway, a route for a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas, until the US lifts its blockade of Iran’s shipping. Washington imposed its blockade during the fragile ceasefire, which began on April 8th.
Washington said US forces boarded a tanker in the Indian Ocean on Thursday. The Pentagon said the vessel, the Guinea-flagged Majestic X, was carrying Iranian oil. “We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate,” the Pentagon said.
Pakistan, which hosted talks this month and had been preparing for a second round before it was called off on Tuesday, was still in touch with both sides, a Pakistani government source said.
The US was separately due to host talks between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, with Lebanon seeking an extension of a ceasefire that is due to expire on Sunday. – Additional reporting: Reuters
