Scene of attack on Friday
Photo: Hagai Aharon
Blast awakens northern residents
Mine explodes near Lebanese border at 7 am, prompting fears of another Katyusha attack
A sharp blast resounded through northern Israel Saturday morning. An investigation by security forces revealed that it was not another incident of Katyusha rocket fire from Lebanon but the explosion of a mine.
At around 7 am northern residents in the Golan Heights and the Galilee were awakened by what many at first believed to be another rocket attack from Lebanon, as had occurred on Friday.
Complaining
Yitzhak Benhorin
Ambassador Shalev says Katyushas fired from Lebanon are another example of presence of weapons, terrorist activity south of Litani River. UN Secretary-General Ban condemns rocket fire, urges Israel and Lebanon to exercise restraint
However the IDF soon announced that the blast was actually the explosion of a mine near the border fence. The mine is thought to have been set off by an animal.
Police officers and sappers arrived on the scene while IDF forces examined the area and ascertained that there had not been an attack.
On Friday at 3:45 pm residents in Nahariya and the western Galilee were startled by blasts followed by an alert warning them to enter fortified spaces.
Two rockets fell in open spaces, and the IDF returned fire to the scene of the launch. No injuries or damage were reported.
Following the incident Israel's ambassador to the UN, Gabriela Shalev, filed a complaint in which she wrote that the rocket fire was another example of the presence of weapons and terror activity south of the Litani River.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the firing of Katyusha rockets from Lebanon into Israel, calling on both sides to exercise maximum restraint.
