Two Indonesian peacekeepers were killed on Monday by a roadside explosion in southern Lebanon, UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix has said, citing the findings of an initial investigation.
In a separate statement, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) said the explosion was of unknown origin and destroyed the peacekeepers' vehicle near Bani Hayyan.
A third peacekeeper was severely injured in the explosion, and a fourth was hurt, Unifil said.
It was the second such fatal incident in 24 hours. Another peacekeeper - who was also Indonesian - was killed on Sunday when a projectile, also of unknown origin, exploded in Adchit Al Qusayr, southern Lebanon.
Unifil said it had launched investigations to determine what happened in both incidents.
The findings of an initial investigation into the incident on Monday point to a roadside explosion striking the convoy, Lacroix told the UN Security Council earlier.
Their deaths had most likely been caused by an IED (improvised explosive device), Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, later said at a briefing.
Speaking about the other incident, on Sunday, Dujarric said it was likely caused by an explosive that landed in the position that the Indonesians were holding.
The deaths come shortly after the Israeli military announced it would step up ground and air attacks against the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia and political party, has fired rockets into Israel in retaliation for ongoing US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
In a statement on Telegram, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its own review had concluded that the Bani Hayyan explosion was not caused by IDF activity.
It went on: A comprehensive operational examination indicates that no explosive device was placed in the area by IDF troops, and that no IDF troops were present in the area at all.
Separately, the IDF reported that four of its soldiers had been killed in combat in southern Lebanon, with one severely wounded.
Dujarric emphasized the need for the protection of peacekeepers, stating they are soldiers sent there on behalf of the international community... and everyone needs to ensure that they are protected and never targeted.
The peacekeeping force, created by the UN Security Council in 1978, serves as a buffer between Israel and Lebanon, patrolling the Blue Line - the de facto border in collaboration with the Lebanese army.
Around 339 peacekeepers have been killed since the mission's establishment, and with increasing violence, the situation remains critical.
