Danger! Lebanon Increasingly Ablaze, Indonesia and Allies Jointly Cry Out Like This
The escalating and uncontrolled conflict in Lebanon has provoked a strong reaction from the international community. Ten countries, including Canada, the UK, Australia, and Japan, have officially issued a joint statement condemning the murder of UN peacekeeping personnel and demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities that have devastated the region.
The countries, comprising Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, and the UK, expressed deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation and refugee crisis in Lebanon. Although not directly naming the US ally Israel or the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, the statement emphasises the urgency of stability in the region.
“Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, and the UK remain deeply concerned about the worsening humanitarian situation and refugee crisis in Lebanon,” reads the joint statement from the ten countries, without specifically naming the conflicting parties, as quoted by Reuters on Wednesday (15/4/2026).
This statement comes in the wake of the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeeping personnel last month. Based on initial findings from a UN investigation, it was revealed that one personnel was killed by an Israeli tank projectile, while the other two were killed by an improvised explosive device likely planted by Hezbollah.
Israel is known to have intensified airstrikes on Lebanon following Hezbollah’s firing of missiles into Israeli territory on 2 March, exactly three days after the war between the US-Israel and Iran erupted. Since then, Israel has continued to expand its ground invasion into southern Lebanon and ordered hundreds of thousands of Lebanese residents to flee their villages.
Lebanese authorities reported that Israel’s offensive strikes have killed more than 2,000 people and forced 1.2 million residents to leave their homes. On the other hand, Hezbollah’s missile attacks targeting northern border towns to major Israeli cities have killed two civilians and 13 Israeli soldiers since early March.
“We strongly condemn the actions that have killed UN peacekeepers and significantly increased the risks faced by humanitarian personnel in southern Lebanon,” the ten countries stated firmly in their joint declaration.
Currently, tension still envelops the region despite a fragile ceasefire between the United States, Israel, and Iran that took effect two weeks ago. However, Lebanon’s fate remains hanging in the balance as Israel and Iran have not reached an agreement regarding the scope of halting attacks in the area.
“We welcome the ceasefire agreed between the United States, Israel, and Iran. We call for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Lebanon,” the ten countries added, urging full restoration of stability as soon as possible.
The broader conflict began when the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February, which was then retaliated by Iran with attacks on Israel and Gulf countries hosting US bases. Amid the ceasefire with one week remaining, Iran demands that Israel’s war in Lebanon be included in the peace agreement, but Israel flatly rejects it and demands that Beirut disarm Hezbollah.