Israeli army confirms: Two soldiers killed in missile attack from Hezbollah in northern Israel

The Israeli army confirmed that two soldiers were killed in a missile attack claimed by Hezbollah in northern Israel.

Seven other soldiers were wounded, two of them moderately. The anti-tank missile was fired at an unarmored IDF military vehicle near Mt. Dov in the Hermon region. In addition, mortar shells were fired at Israeli communities in the Lebanon border area.

Tourists in and around the Mt. Hermon area were evacuated. IDF forces immediately responded with artillery fire in the direction from which the rockets were launched. Later that day, the IDF targeted Syrian Army artillery posts.

“The IDF holds the Syrian Government accountable for all attacks emanating from its land, and will operate by any means necessary to defend Israeli civilians,” said IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner. “Such blatant breaches of Israeli sovereignty will not be tolerated,” he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held security consultations in the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv.

Speaking at a cornerstone laying ceremony for new apartments in the southern border city of Sderot., Netanyahu said, “At this moment, the IDF is responding to events in the North.”

Netanyahu added: “I suggest that all those who are challenging us on our northern border, look at what happened in Gaza, not far from the city of Sderot.

“Hamas suffered the most serious blow since it was founded this past summer and the IDF is prepared to act on every front.”

Sources in Netanyahu’s bureau were quoted as saying: “Iran is behind this heinous terrorist attack. The same Iran which the world powers are forming an agreement with, that would allow it to maintain its ability to acquire nuclear weapons capacity.

“This is the same Iran that tried to build a terrorist infrastructure in the Golan Heights, similar to what it has in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq and Yemen.

“This is the same Iran that supports terrorism around the globe,” the sources said.

As the civil war rages in Syria, the Israeli forces have experienced combat in the region, both from targeted strikes and errant fire. Last week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz spoke of the situation in northern Israel. “IDF forces are closely monitoring the events taking place here [in northern Israel], and are prepared, alert, and ready to act if necessary,” he said.

The Golan Heights are situated between southern Lebanon, southern Syria, and northern Israel. The mountain region has an average altitude of 1,000 meters and spans approximately 1,800 sq. kilometers. Mount Hermon, reaching a height of 2,224 meters, is geostrategically significant in its position commanding a vantage point over southern Lebanon, southern Syria, and northern Israel.

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