Blast near Lebanese border in northern Israel wounds at least 8 people, toll varies by report

What happened

Israeli police said an explosion occurred on Monday, 12 October, near the community of Neot Mordechai, close to the border with Lebanon. Rescue services and police said at least eight people were injured, and the army said it had dispatched soldiers and helicopters to the site. Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's equivalent of the Red Cross, said its paramedics were treating eight people in serious or moderate condition along with several others with mild injuries. Al Jazeera reported that the blast occurred between Kibbutz Manara and Kibbutz Yiftach, while iefimerida placed it in the Ramim ridge area near the Peer observation post. Police from the Kiryat Shmona station in the Northern District cordoned off the area while bomb disposal experts examined the source of the blast.

Who was hurt

The reported tolls differ across outlets, and the figures come from early, provisional updates. Blick reported 12 people injured, four of them seriously, and said students and teachers on an annual hike were among them. Al Jazeera and in.gr each put the number at about 20, with in.gr citing MDA that three of the injured were in serious condition while one was described as critical. iefimerida, citing MDA ambulance service director Eli Bin in an interview with Channel 12, reported 19 injured and at least one dead, adding that the toll was provisional. No other outlet in the set mentions a death. Haaretz, cited by in.gr, reported that teenagers were among the injured, and the Maalot-Tarshiha municipality said students and staff of the ORT Maalot religious high school were at the site near Kibbutz Yiftach.

Cause and investigation

Channel 12 reported that the explosion may have been caused by unexploded ordnance, and iefimerida noted that this assessment had not been confirmed by the authorities. Blick described the device as a grenade that exploded near the Mitzpe Par viewpoint close to the Lebanese border, while in.gr said Haaretz referred to a mine. The Israel Defense Forces said they were investigating the conditions under which the incident occurred, including whether the hike had received the required approvals before permission was granted. In.gr reported that the army is obliged to inspect areas open to the public and remove any unexploded ordnance in advance. Bomb disposal experts were investigating the circumstances and source of the blast, according to Al Jazeera.

Response

Blick reported that 14 ambulances and three rescue helicopters were deployed, while iefimerida and in.gr said the Israeli Air Force sent helicopters to help move the injured. Medical teams gave first aid at the scene, and iefimerida reported that a helicopter had been dispatched to transport the injured to hospital. Military forces were also in the area providing assistance, the IDF said. Al Jazeera reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled his planned visit to the occupied West Bank after the report of the explosion.