The Israeli army reported on Wednesday that a Palestinian was killed by gunfire immediately after a roadside device in northern Israel gravely injured an Israeli civilian.
The army did not provide any information about the person, but stated that he probably entered the nation from southern Lebanon and that they were looking into whether he was affiliated with the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, which engaged in a month-long conflict with Israel in 2006.
According to the army, the individual was apprehended at a checkpoint in the town of Yara, close to the border with Lebanon, after setting off the roadside bomb at the Megiddo Interchange on Monday.
He was killed by security forces, according to reports, because he was wearing an explosive belt, had a rifle.
The army claimed to be interrogating the driver.
An detailed investigation into the sabotage operation and the degree of Hezbollah’s involvement in it, according to a joint statement from the army, police, and Israeli General Security Agency.
Hezbollah did not respond right away.
Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraei shared video snippets on Twitter, one of which showed Israeli forces searching the area.
According to Israeli media, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short his trip to Germany due to “developments in national security,” according to the prime minister’s office, without providing any other information.
The incident raises the possibility of further hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, two fierce rivals.
Herzi Halevy, the chief of staff of the Israeli army, addressed the following to reservists”We look at Hezbollah, we see their efforts to build strength, and above all, we understand that we need to prepare, we must be ready in the coming years, for a multilateral attack in which Iran will participate.”
Israel considers the Iran-backed group its most serious immediate threat, estimating that Hezbollah has 150,000 rockets and missiles aimed at Israel.
