Escalation Intensifies, TNI Commander Orders Troops in Lebanon to Enter Bunkers

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Agus Subiyanto has ordered all TNI personnel serving on peacekeeping missions in Lebanon to halt activities outside their headquarters and remain in bunkers.

The directive followed escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Gen. Agus conveyed the order during a video call with the Commander of the Indonesian Mechanical Battalion (Indobatt) XXIII-S Task Force under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

In a conversation shared on his personal Instagram account, Gen. Agus stressed that safeguarding internal security is vital to protecting troops and maintaining morale.

“Maintain the morale of the troops there, continue implementing internal security measures, and take shelter in the bunkers. No further activities outside, and keep morale high so they remain encouraged,” he said on Saturday, April 4, 2026.

The Task Force Commander confirmed readiness to carry out the instructions. Gen. Agus emphasized that the top priority is ensuring all personnel remain safe while fulfilling their peacekeeping duties under the UNIFIL mandate. He also offered prayers for the troops, hoping they would be granted strength and safety in service.

Concerns over the security of Indonesian troops in Lebanon have intensified after three TNI soldiers were killed in two separate incidents in southern Lebanon. According to UNIFIL, Pvt. Farizal Rhomadhon died on March 29 when an Israeli projectile exploded near an Indonesian post in Adchit Al Qusayr.

A day later, Capt. Zulmi Aditya Iskandar and First Sgt. Muhammad Nur Ichwan were also killed in an explosion attributed to Israel. On April 3, three other TNI soldiers sustained injuries in another blast, the source of which remains unclear.

In response to the growing threat, the TNI is focusing on maximum protection for all personnel deployed in Lebanon’s peacekeeping mission. (Gusti Panji/Lasti Martina)