UN says 2 UNIFIL peacekeepers killed in south Lebanon

A deadly 24 hours for UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon has left three Indonesian members of the UNIFIL mission dead, after two were killed when an “explosion of unknown origin” destroyed their vehicle near Bani Hayyan.

UNIFIL said the blast killed the two Indonesian peacekeepers and left two more wounded, one of them severely.

The latest deaths bring to three the number of Indonesian UNIFIL personnel killed in southern Lebanon in the past day.

The attack came a day after another Indonesian peacekeeper was killed and a colleague injured in a separate incident.

“I expressed my deepest condolences to the families of the fallen peacekeepers and the government of Indonesia, and I wish a full recovery to those injured,” he told reporters at UN headquarters.

“We strongly condemn these unacceptable incidents,” he said.

“Peacekeepers must never be a target.”

Questioned about the widening Israeli military offensive in Lebanon, Mr Lacroix said it was hard to “speculate on the final intent”, adding that he “cannot speak on behalf of the Israeli authorities or the IDF”.

“But based on what we’re seeing, as well as several statements emanating from the Israeli authorities and also the orders for evacuation of civilians,” he said, “it certainly looks like we might end up with, I would call it, an expanded buffer zone in southern Lebanon”.

The Irish Defence Forces said all Irish troops in the area are safe and accounted for.

It also condemned the attack and offered sympathies to the families of those killed.

Two UNIFIL peacekeepers were tragically killed in south Lebanon today, when an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle near Bani Hayyan. A third peacekeeper was severely injured, and a fourth was also hurt.

— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) March 30, 2026

UNIFIL said yesterday’s deadly incident happened when a projectile exploded at one of its positions near the southern Lebanese village of Adchit al-Qusay.

A second peacekeeper was critically injured in that blast, the mission said in a statement.

UNIFIL has long been deployed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel, a flashpoint now central to clashes between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.

The mission, due to end at the close of 2026, has repeatedly found itself in danger as fighting involving both Israel and Hezbollah has intensified over the past two years.

Indonesia’s foreign ministry said the peacekeeper killed yesterday was an Indonesian national and that three others were wounded by indirect artillery fire near the Indonesian UNIFIL contingent’s position at Adchit al-Qusayr.

“We do not know the origin of the projectile. We have launched an investigation to determine all of the circumstances,” UNIFIL said.

Minister for Defence Helen McEntee condemned the attacks on Indonesian UNIFIL personnel in Lebanon.

“Those serving under the UN flag do so in pursuit of peace and stability.

“These incidents are an attack on the very principles of peace, cooperation and international solidarity,” the minister said.

The Irish Defence Forces can confirm that all Irish personnel are well and accounted for. We wish to extend our sympathies to the families of the peacekeepers who lost their lives in the service of peace. Our thoughts are also with those injured in the attack.

Óglaigh na… pic.twitter.com/io0mcF2AEj

— Óglaigh na hÉireann (@defenceforces) March 30, 2026

The attacks are the latest in a string of dangerous incidents involving UN troops. On 6 March, Ghana’s armed forces said missile strikes hit the headquarters of its UN peacekeeping battalion in Lebanon, critically injuring two soldiers.

Israel’s military later said tank fire from its forces had struck a UN position in southern Lebanon that day, wounding the Ghanaian peacekeepers.

It said Israeli troops had been responding to anti-tank missile fire from Hezbollah, which had moderately injured two of its own soldiers.

“Once again, we call on all actors to uphold their obligations under international law and to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property at all times, including by refraining from actions that may put peacekeepers in danger,” UNIFIL said.

Indonesia condemned the latest incident, saying any harm to peacekeepers is unacceptable, and repeated its condemnation “of Israel’s attacks in Southern Lebanon”.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he strongly condemns the killing and the “shocking escalation of violence that has injured a number of peacekeepers in recent days”.

In a social media post, he said that “the role of the peacekeeper must be respected and honoured at all times”.

“Both Israel and Hezbollah must do everything in their power to keep peacekeepers from harm. I have been briefed by our Defence Forces and all Irish personnel serving in Lebanon continue to be well and accounted for,” he said.

Lebanon was drawn deeper into the Middle East war when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel on 2 March in solidarity with Tehran, two days after Iran was attacked by Israel and the United States. That barrage triggered fresh Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets and across Lebanon.

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Bani Hayyan, where today’s explosion killed two peacekeepers and injured two others, lies about 15km northeast of Camp Shamrock, home to roughly 300 Irish peacekeepers in the Irish Area of Responsibility (AOR).

Adchit Al Qusayr, where another peacekeeper was killed yesterday, is about 17km from Camp Shamrock and only 3km north of Bani Hayyan.

Both attacks took place inside the broader UN-monitored zone in southern Lebanon where Irish troops remain deployed.

An Irish-led UN battalion operates Camp Shamrock near Bint Jbeil, along with two outposts, UNP 6-50 and UNP 6-52, close to the border towns of Maroun El-Ras and Yaroun.

In August last year, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to end its peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon after nearly 50 years, following pressure from the United States and Israel to wind down the force.

UNIFIL will stay in place under a final mandate until 31 December 2026.

Even before these latest deaths, the mission had been periodically caught in the line of fire of both Israel and Hezbollah over the past couple of years.

Recent incidents highlighted the danger facing troops on the ground.

On 6 March, Ghana’s armed forces said the headquarters of its UN peacekeeping ‌battalion in Lebanon was hit by missile attacks, leaving two soldiers critically injured.

Israel’s military later acknowledged that its ⁠tank fire had hit a UN position in southern Lebanon that day, ‌wounding the Ghanaian peacekeepers.

The military said its troops had responded to ⁠anti-tank missile fire ‌from Hezbollah, which had moderately wounded two of its soldiers.

Additional reporting Kate McDonald