IDF sources told The Zioneer on Friday that the military assessment concludes a Hezbollah explosive device caused the blast that killed two soldiers in southern Lebanon earlier this week. The statement comes as the security establishment continues to examine alternative possibilities, including the detonation of IDF unexploded ordnance, as reported by Channel 14 on Thursday.
IDF sources on Friday told The Zioneer that the military assessment now concludes a Hezbollah explosive device caused the blast that killed two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon earlier this week. The assessment, delivered at 14:01 Jerusalem, comes after a day of investigation in which the security establishment examined alternative possibilities, including the detonation of IDF unexploded ordnance, as reported by Channel 14 on Thursday evening. The incident occurred during operational activity and marks a significant escalation in Hezbollah's ceasefire violations.
The evolution of the story began on Thursday afternoon, when the IDF first reported a wave of strikes on Hezbollah targets across southern Lebanon. By 15:56 Jerusalem, the military confirmed the strikes were in direct response to the deadly roadside bomb attack in Majdal Zoun that killed the two soldiers and wounded four others. At the same time, the IDF was investigating a Hezbollah booby-trapped building in the area, tracking the terrorists who planted the explosives. Later that evening, at 20:14 Jerusalem, Channel 14 reported that the security establishment was probing whether the blast was an accident, while maintaining that the Hezbollah device remained the leading theory. The Zioneer reported on that development. Friday's assessment from IDF sources now aligns with the leading theory, concluding that Hezbollah was responsible.
The Zioneer has previously documented multiple Hezbollah IED attacks against Israeli forces in the region. On June 18, a Hezbollah explosive device killed a reserve soldier and wounded seven others. On June 26, a grenade attack by a Hezbollah operative wounded four soldiers. Additionally, on July 18, a Lebanese soldier was killed by a Hezbollah mine, and on August 2, a Lebanese Army vehicle struck a Hezbollah mine, wounding five soldiers. These incidents highlight the persistent threat of planted ordnance despite the ceasefire framework.
The IDF has not released further details about the identity of the soldiers killed or the exact location of the blast. The assessment is described as the military's conclusion, but the investigation remains ongoing, and alternative possibilities were thoroughly examined before the assessment was finalized.
4 developments
- StrongIDF: Lebanese soldier killed by Hezbollah explosive, forces not in the area
- StrongIDF: Lebanese Army vehicle hit Hezbollah mine in southern Lebanon, five soldiers wounded
- DevelopingChannel 14: IDF probes intelligence failure, concern Hezbollah returning under Lebanese army cover
- DevelopingIDF Arabic spokesperson: Hezbollah planted IED near Red Cross ambulances in southern Lebanon
Source and signal
- Open-source intake