IDF says 2 armed terrorists killed in 'unusual' incident near northern border
The military said the men were armed and were about 300 to 500 meters from the border, an unusually close approach to the fence.
The Israeli military said it killed two armed terrorists overnight in an "unusual" incident along the northern border, after the pair approached to within several hundred meters of the border fence from Lebanon.
According to an initial IDF inquiry, army lookouts identified the two suspects at around 3 AM near the Lebanese village of Yaroun, walking south toward Israeli territory. The military said the men were armed and were about 300 to 500 meters from the border, an unusually close approach to the fence.
The IDF said it immediately declared a military alert, prompting local defense squads in the nearby Israeli communities of Dovev, Mattat and Bar’am to deploy to their gates and await further instructions.
Throughout the incident, the military said its lookouts and forces on the ground maintained close surveillance of the two men, who were seen hiding under a tree.
Within minutes, the IDF said, the terrorists were struck by an Israeli Air Force fighter jet, directed by troops operating in the area. After further movement was detected at the site, the military said the men were struck again and killed.
The commander of the IDF’s 91st Division ordered forces not to close the incident or declare a return to routine until troops on the ground had visually confirmed the bodies, the military said. That confirmation came at around 5 AM.
The IDF said it remained in direct contact throughout the incident with local security coordinators and civilian rapid-response squads in the relevant communities.