Three United Nations peacekeepers from Indonesia were killed in two separate incidents in southern Lebanon after a bloody weekend in which Lebanese journalists and medics were killed in Israeli strikes.
Two of the peacekeepers were killed in an explosion on Monday (30 March). In a statement, the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL said that their vehicle was targeted by an explosion near Bani Hayyan in south Lebanon, which also wounded two solidiers, the statement said.
A seperate explosion in the southern Lebanese village of Adchit al-Qusayr overnight Sunday into Monday morning killed another Indonesian and critically injured another peacemaker.
The attacks marked the first time in the conflict UN staff have been targeted in strikes.
"These are two separate incidents and we are investigating them as two separate incidents", said UNIFIL's spokesperson Kandice Ardiel.
In response to the first death, Indonesia's foreign ministry said on Monday the deceased peacekeeper was one of its citizens and that three others were injured by "indirect artillery fire".
Indonesia condemned the incident and said any harm to peacekeepers is unacceptable, while reiterating its condemnation "of Israel's attacks in southern Lebanon."
The country's Foreign Minister Sugiono called on Tuesday in a post on social media website X for an emergency UN Security Council meeting.
Spoke with UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres (30/3) following the deaths of Indonesian UNIFIL peacekeepers.
Indonesia condemns this heinous attack. The safety and security of UN peacekeepers is non-negotiable and must be upheld at all times.
Appreciate the… pic.twitter.com/VLdIbC5vR1 — Menteri Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia (@Menlu_RI) March 30, 2026
Israel's military said early on Tuesday it is aware of the reports regarding the two incidents and they are being reviewed thoroughly to determine whether they resulted from Hezbollah or the military's activity.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes.
"We strongly condemn these unacceptable incidents - peacekeepers must never be a target," the UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix told reporters in a briefing on Monday.
Israel has said it intends to control a buffer zone up to the Litani River, which runs about 30 km (20 miles) north of the border into Lebanon territory.
Civilians in six villages in Lebanon's western Bekaa region were issued with evacuation warnings by Israel on Monday. Fresh airstrikes hit several towns in southern Lebanon on Monday and at least one strike hit Beirut's southern suburbs. The military said the warning was prompted by what it described as militant activity in the area, without providing further details.
The Israeli military say strikes in Beirut's southern suburbs targeted commanders responsible for coordination between Hezbollah and Palestinian militant groups.
Death toll rises
UNIFIL is based on the demarcation line on the border between Lebanon and Israel. Iran-backed group Hezbollah fighters fired into Israel two days after the U.S.-Israel fired the first missiles in the current conflict which is now in its second month. UNIFIL's mission is set to end by the end of 2026.
According to Lebanese officials, more 1,240 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on the country. They include 120 children, nearly 80 women and dozens of paramedics.
More than 400 Hezbollah fighters have been killed since 2 March, according to two sources familiar with Hezbollah's count.
At least 10 paramedics were killed over the weekend in Israeli strikes, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Three journalists were killed in an Israeli strike on their car on Saturday.
The Israeli military has accused Hezbollah operatives of posing as Lebanese paramedics, and has said that some journalists it killed were part of the group's intelligence or military wing. It has not publicly provided evidence to support those claims.
Lebanon's health ministry has denied that any ambulances or health facilities are used for military purposes. Lebanon's presidency has said that targeted journalists are "civilians performing a professional duty."
Israel's military said on Monday that a sixth soldier had been killed in fighting in southern Lebanon. Lebanon's armed forces said that a Lebanese soldier had died in an Israeli airstrike.
At least nine Lebanese soldiers have been killed by Israel according to local officials
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington has agreed to resume talks with Iran after Tehran requested further negotiations, but declared that last m...
What began as a fan-created chant just months ago has become one of the defining images of this year's FIFA World Cup, with Norway's "Viking Row" swee...
Russia’s fuel shortages are spreading into Central Asia, exposing the region’s heavy reliance on Russian petrol and diesel as governments race to ...
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington has agreed to resume talks with Iran after Tehran requested further negotiations, but declared that last month's ceasefire between the two countries was "over".
What began as a fan-created chant just months ago has become one of the defining images of this year's FIFA World Cup, with Norway's "Viking Row" sweeping through stadiums, city streets and social media.
AnewZ's Daybreak on 10 July covered mounting tensions in the Middle East, political developments in the UK, and major stories from the South Caucasus and Central Asia, alongside key international news.
Ukraine is facing one of the most difficult moments of the war, as a convergence of corruption scandals, political turbulence, financial uncertainty and intensifying Russian offensives places unprecedented strain on the country’s ability to defend itself.
It has been a punishing week for large parts of China, and forecasters warn the worst may not be over. After Typhoon Maysak left a trail of destruction and at least 23 people dead, Super Typhoon Bavi is now threatening the country's eastern coast.
At least 12 people have been killed in forest fires in Almeria in southern Spain, Andalucía’s emergency agency has said, as firefighters continue efforts to put out the blaze.
The death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes has risen to 3,811, according to figures released by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez on Wednesday.
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in the latest escalation to derail efforts to end the war.
Typhoon Bavi churned southeast of Taiwan in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, its winds easing overnight to just shy of 200 kph (124 mph), as authorities urged residents to stock up on supplies and brace for what could be the most powerful typhoon since 2024.
Iran planned to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump, according to intelligence shared with Washington by Israel, the Wall Street Journal has reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in the latest escalation to derail efforts to end the war.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the conflict was "over", adding he did not want to engage with Tehran, calling the Iranian leadership "sick people".
Wednesday marks the fifth day of the massive public farewell funeral processions of its former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a U.S.-Israeli air strike in February.
The U.S. says it has launched strikes on Iran after alleged attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington described the action as a response to threats against civilian shipping and a breach of the ceasefire.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment