The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported on Sunday that it had located and intercepted numerous suspicious aerial targets crossing from Lebanon, leading to the injury of an IDF officer and soldier.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday engaged multiple interceptors to shoot down unidentified aerial targets that entered Israel from Lebanon. According to the IDF, a press release from the IDF revealed that the incident led to the identification of a fall adjacent to the kibbutz Ayelet HaShahar.
Sirens blared in the upper Galilee before the interception, prompting heightened vigilance among residents. The incident resulted in moderate injuries to an IDF officer and soldier, who were swiftly transported to a local hospital for treatment. The IDF has notified the families of the injured.
IDF Neutralizes Suspicious Aerial Targets, Injures Soldiers in Lebanon Border Incident
Simultaneously, Israel Fire Services personnel were deployed to extinguish a fire that erupted in the area during the attack. An IDF investigation into the incident identified that the initial sirens sounded in the areas of Kiryat Shmona and Kfar Giladi were a false alarm.
IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, addressed the press, emphasizing that troops are actively deployed in strategic areas, including the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Judea, and Samaria, to proactively neutralize potential threats to Israel's security.
IDF Neutralizes Suspicious Aerial Targets, Injures Soldiers in Lebanon Border Incident
In Gaza, the IDF is focused on locating and neutralizing underground infrastructure, particularly in the Rafah area and the Philadelphi Corridor. According to Hagari, dozens of tunnels have been identified and are undergoing investigation, neutralization, and destruction by IDF troops.
Hagari clarified that not all tunnels are operational, as some have been previously addressed by the IDF. However, the IDF is determined to neutralize all identified tunnels to mitigate any potential security risks.
IDF Neutralizes Suspicious Aerial Targets, Injures Soldiers in Lebanon Border Incident
Tragedy struck in the city of Holon on Sunday morning when two Israeli citizens were killed, and two others sustained injuries in a stabbing attack. The terrorist responsible for the attack was neutralized at the scene by a police officer.
Hagari also provided details of counter-terrorism operations conducted by the IDF and Israeli Securities Authority. In the Tulkarm area in the West Bank, an aircraft eliminated a terrorist cell of five terrorists who were inside a vehicle, preventing a planned attack on an axis or community.
IDF Neutralizes Suspicious Aerial Targets, Injures Soldiers in Lebanon Border Incident
Later on Saturday, another counter-terrorism operation targeted four terrorists in Tulkarm who opened fire at IDF forces. The operation involved aircraft and ground troops who assisted in eliminating the terrorists. Subsequent investigations revealed a significant cache of firearms, ammunition, and military vests.
Hagari attributed the weaponry to Iran, which has a history of arming and funding terrorist organizations across the Middle East, including smuggling explosives into Israeli territory for terror attacks targeting civilians. The IDF and ISA have thwarted multiple such attacks involving Claymore-type explosives.
The recent incidents follow a Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of approximately 250 others. Many of these hostages remain in Hamas captivity.
"This evening, we also remember the 115 hostages held by the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip," Hagari remarked. "We are committed to bringing them all home as soon as possible — those who are alive to their families, and those who are no longer alive to burial in Israel. This is our goal, and we will continue to act with great determination to achieve it."
Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, more than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed, and over 90,000 wounded, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. However, the count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
