At Least 12 Reported Injured in Explosion Near Israel-Lebanon Border

At least 12 people were reported injured Monday afternoon when an explosion occurred in an open area of northern Israel, near the Lebanese border, prompting an emergency response involving ambulances, intensive care units, and military rescue helicopters.
The explosion occurred near Mitzpe Pe’er, a lookout point in the Upper Galilee, according to initial reports. The cause had not been confirmed, although an unexploded munition was suspected.
Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s national emergency medical service, said its Jordan Valley regional emergency call center received the first report at 2:53 p.m. Paramedics and emergency medical technicians were dispatched to the scene, where they initially reported approximately 10 casualties with varying degrees of injury.
In a subsequent update, MDA said its teams were treating eight people in serious or moderate condition, along with several others who sustained minor injuries. The MDA-Hatzolah Air helicopter and military helicopters were dispatched to assist with evacuations.
MDA Jordan Valley Region Director Itzik Shushan said emergency teams, including ambulances, mobile intensive care units, and a rescue helicopter, were mobilized immediately. “This is a complex incident.” He said paramedics were treating the injured at the scene while working to evacuate them to hospitals as quickly as possible.
The precise number of casualties and the severity of their injuries remained subject to confirmation as rescue operations continued.
Mitzpe Pe’er is located in the Naftali Mountains, a ridge overlooking southern Lebanon and Israel’s Hula Valley. The region includes scenic viewpoints and hiking trails close to a frontier that has experienced years of cross-border fighting.
Unexploded weapons have posed a persistent danger to civilians in northern Israel. In August, six Thai agricultural workers were injured when old munitions exploded in an orchard near Metula, another community close to the Lebanese border. Two of the workers sustained serious injuries requiring surgery.
The border has seen repeated confrontations between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group. Renewed fighting this year damaged communities on both sides, and security incidents have continued despite ceasefire arrangements.
Monday’s explosion had not been attributed to Hezbollah or any other organization, and there was no immediate indication that it was a deliberate attack. Authorities were expected to investigate the source of the explosion and determine whether additional hazardous munitions remained in the area.

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