Armed Lebanese terrorist entered Israeli territory before being shot, IDF confirms

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Tuesday that a Lebanese terrorist killed in a shootout along the northern border on Tuesday managed to infiltrate into Israeli territory.

“IDF soldiers operating in the area identified a terrorist in Israeli territory, near the Israel-Lebanon border,” the military said. “The soldiers eliminated him shortly after he crossed into Israeli territory.”

Ground troops, including special forces, were dispatched to the scene and conducted “extensive searches” in conjunction with the Israeli Air Force, according to the statement.

“The details of the incident are under review,” the IDF added.

In an earlier statement, the IDF had said it had eliminated a gunman who opened fire at soldiers operating in the Ramim Ridge area of the Upper Galilee.

“The soldiers returned fire and eliminated a terrorist in the area. No IDF injuries were reported,” according to the statement.

The Ramim Ridge is a mountainous area in Israel’s Upper Galilee region, running parallel to the Lebanese border, with some sections lying directly adjacent to the frontier and overlooking Lebanon.

According to the Hebrew-language Channel 12 News outlet, the Lebanese terrorist opened fire after managing to approach a fence near the Israeli community of Moshav Margaliot.

The terrorist, who was armed with a rifle and a knife, was located inside an Israeli military observation post some 1.2 km (0.75 miles) from the community, Channel 12 reported on Wednesday, citing anonymous security sources.

The assailant reportedly wore camouflage fatigues associated with Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization.

The IDF was said to be investigating how the gunman was able to cross into an area under continuous surveillance, as Israeli forces continue operations against Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon.

Eitan Davidi, chairman of Moshav Margaliot, told Channel 12 that “the IDF is in Lebanon, but the Israeli government has tied its hands and feet and is not allowing it to do the job it was supposed to do.”

“We hope residents will be able to return to their daily lives within a short period of time—if it can even be called normal life,” he added.

Hezbollah renewed its rocket and drone attacks on Israel on March 2, following the targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of “Operation Roaring Lion” on Feb. 28.

In response, Israel launched a broad aerial campaign against Hezbollah targets and expanded military operations in Southern Lebanon aimed at preventing cross-border attacks on Israeli communities.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Hezbollah of “essentially disintegrating” the April 17 ceasefire with Lebanon, which was renewed on June 4 during the fourth round of the historic direct talks between Jerusalem and Beirut in Washington.

The Iranian regime on Monday threatened to resume ballistic missile attacks against the Jewish state “if aggression and hostile acts continue, including in Southern Lebanon.”