intensifies

UNIFIL says it doesn’t know the origin of the projectile that killed the Indonesian peacekeeper amid ongoing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has confirmed one of its peacekeepers was killed in the country’s south as fighting between Israeli troops and the Hezbollah group intensifies amid Israel’s invasion.

“A peacekeeper was tragically killed last night when a projectile exploded in a UNIFIL position near Adchit al Qusayr,” a UNIFIL statement said on Monday. “Another was critically injured.”

Indonesia confirmed that one of its peacekeepers was killed and three others were wounded due to “indirect artillery fire”.

The UNIFIL statement said they 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 Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called “on all to uphold their obligations under international law and to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property at all times”.

UNIFIL has reported that its positions have been hit more than once since the start of the latest fighting on March 2.

On March 7, three Ghanaian soldiers were wounded by gunfire in a border town in southern Lebanon.

‘Control is going to be key’

The US-Israel war on Iran spread to Lebanon after Iran-aligned Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel, following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war on February 28.

Before that, Hezbollah had not attacked Israel since a ceasefire came into effect in November 2024, despite near-daily Israeli breaches of the deal.

On Monday, the Israeli military said six soldiers were injured in three separate incidents, and three of them were seriously wounded.

Israeli officials say their invasion of southern Lebanon intends to set up a security zone extending 30km (18.6 miles) from the Israeli border.

Reporting from the Lebanese capital, Beirut, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr said the Israeli military has shifted from “limited incursions” to a broad ground offensive in southern Lebanon, aiming to seize territory up to the Litani River.

“Since last week, Israeli troops have advanced into several areas,” she said, noting the movement along the western coastal highway and about 8km [4.97 miles] south of Tyre, one of the main cities in southern Lebanon.

“It’s still too early to say who will have the upper hand … but the word control is going to be key,” she said. “What Hezbollah will try to do is prevent the Israeli army from consolidating control, and that will be Hezbollah’s test.”

Other attacks

Meanwhile, a strike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs on Monday, the first Israeli attack since Friday. Live footage showed plumes of smoke rising from the area.

The attack comes after the Israeli military warned of attacks on seven southern suburbs of the city, including Haret Hreik, Ghobeiry, Laylaki, Haddath and Burj al-Barajneh, claiming it was targeting Hezbollah military sites in the areas without providing any evidence.

The Israeli military has carried out aerial and ground attacks across Lebanon while issuing mass forced displacement orders for residents in the south, including several Beirut suburbs.

“Many will say there are no military targets left in this area,” Al Jazeera’s Khodr reported. “This is just about collective punishment and putting pressure on Hezbollah.”

More than 1.2 million people have been forced out of their homes since the beginning of March, according to the UN, prompting concerns about a mounting humanitarian crisis.

President Lee Jae Myung on Monday called for authorities to swiftly introduce a cap on local fuel prices, and preemptive responses to cope with surging gas prices and volatility in foreign exchange markets as the U.S.-led war with Iran has intensified in the Middle East.

Lee made the remarks during an interministerial meeting to assess the latest developments following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks across the Middle East, which have prompted the price of Brent oil to surge through US$100 per barrel.

“As the crisis in the Middle East deepens, uncertainty in the domestic and global economic environment is expanding significantly, posing a considerable burden on the Korean economy relying heavily on global trade and energy imports from the Middle East,” Lee said.

Lee also called for preemptive responses Monday with worst-case scenarios in mind to address the economic fallout from heightened tensions in the Middle East, urging financial stability measures and the exploration of alternative energy routes.

“As it is difficult to predict how the situation will unfold, the government must prepare preemptive response measures with a sense of urgency, keeping even the worst-case scenario in mind,” he added.

Lee urged the government and the Bank of Korea to prepare additional preemptive measures to respond to rising volatility in financial and foreign exchange markets, instructing authorities to expand the 100 trillion-won ($66.8 billion) market stabilization program if necessary.

“We should identify hidden risks and meticulously prepare response measures.”

Lee also called for measures to address uncertainty surrounding energy supplies amid concerns over disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a major global shipping route.

“We will coordinate with strategic partner countries to promptly explore alternative routes that do not have to pass through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

In addition, he urged the government to crack down on collusion between refiners and gas stations, price fixing, and hoarding, calling for strict punishment of violators and the implementation of a price cap system on gasoline and diesel.

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