The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon reported that two Indonesian peacekeepers were killed and several others injured on Monday in southern Lebanon amid ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah. The deaths occurred when an explosion of unknown origin destroyed a UN vehicle, marking the second fatal incident within 24 hours. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has launched an investigation into the incident, while Israel’s military said it is also probing whether the explosions were caused by Hezbollah attacks or Israeli operations.
The Lebanese army confirmed that one of its soldiers was killed in an Israeli strike in the south, while security sources said three Hezbollah members died in another Israeli attack near Beirut. The conflict intensified after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on March 2, drawing Lebanon deeper into the regional war. Since then, Israeli forces have carried out extensive air and ground operations, with Lebanese authorities reporting over 1,200 deaths.
UN Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix condemned the attacks as unacceptable, while France and Spain called for Security Council action. Lebanon’s president and the UN’s special coordinator urged an immediate ceasefire to halt the destruction.