A destroyed vehicle is seen after an Israeli strike in the Jezzine district of southern Lebanon.
Ahmed Kaddoura/Anadolu via Getty Images
- A UN peacekeeper in Lebanon was killed in an attack.
- UNIFIL launched an investigation into the strike.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to further expand its operations in southern Lebanon.
The UN force in Lebanon said on Monday that one of its peacekeepers was killed when a projectile hit one of its positions, where Israeli forces are fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah as part of efforts to establish a buffer zone.
“A peacekeeper was tragically killed last night when a projectile exploded in a UNIFIL position near Adchit al Qusayr,” said a statement.
“Another was critically injured.”
The town of Adchit al Qusayr lies near Lebanon’s southern border with Israel, where Israeli forces have been battling Hezbollah fighters for nearly a month.
Indonesia confirmed that one of its peacekeepers was killed and three others were wounded due to “indirect artillery fire”.
READ | US meeting with ‘very reasonable’ Iran leaders says Trump, hints at taking Kharg Island
The UNIFIL statement said the organisation did not know the origin of the projectile, but had launched an investigation.
“No one should ever lose their life serving the cause of peace,” it added.
UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned the killing in a post on X. “This is just one of a number of recent incidents that have jeopardised the safety and security of peacekeepers.”
Lebanese state news agency NNA reported earlier that the position hit belonged to the Indonesian battalion serving with UNIFIL.
I strongly condemn Sunday’s incident during which an Indonesian peacekeeper of @UNIFIL_ was killed amidst hostilities between Israel & Hizbullah. Another Indonesian peacekeeper was seriously injured in the same incident.
My deepest condolences to the family, friends &…— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 30, 2026
Reuters reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he had ordered the military to further expand its operations in southern Lebanon, citing continued rocket fire by Hezbollah.
Israel said last week it was enlarging a “buffer zone” up to the Litani River. It was not immediately clear whether Netanyahu was referring to that area or to the seizure of additional territory.
“I have now instructed to further expand the existing security zone in order to finally thwart the threat of invasion and to push the anti-tank missile fire away from our border,” Netanyahu said in a video statement from Israeli Northern Command.
The war in the Middle East spread to Lebanon in early March after Iran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel.
🎥WATCH: Armed Hezbollah terrorists are identified by IDF troops and then eliminated by the IAF inside a structure in southern Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/SNm96356de
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 29, 2026
Their attack came after the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the US-Israeli offensive.
Israel has retaliated with wide-ranging air strikes on Lebanon, and Israeli forces are now advancing into numerous towns in southern Lebanon.
Israeli officials say they intend to set up a security zone extending 30km from the Israeli border to protect those living in northern Israel.
UNIFIL has reported that its positions have been hit more than once since the start of the latest fighting.
On 7 March, three Ghanaian soldiers were wounded by gunfire in a border town in southern Lebanon.
