New Delhi, April 7 -- A United Nations investigation into the deaths of three peacekeepers in southern Lebanon has delivered a stark and politically charged conclusion: one of the fatalities was caused by Israeli tank fire, while two others were likely killed by an improvised explosive device attributed to Hezbollah, according to preliminary findings released Tuesday.

The dual findings underscore the increasingly precarious position of international forces trapped between intensifying hostilities, as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah expands into one of the most volatile phases in decades.

The incidents occurred on March 29 and March 30 in southern Lebanon, where members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), p...