By Yotam Rozenwald
JERUSALEM (Tazpit) — Two IDF soldiers were killed and seven were injured Wednesday, Jan. 28, in a terror missile attack that occurred around noon, near Mt. Dov close the Israel’s’ northern border.
The fatalities were Major Yohai Kalangel, 25 years old, from Gush-Etzion and Staff Sergeant Dor Nini, 20 years old from Shtulim. Both soldiers were from the Tzabar Battalion of the Givati Brigade.
A source within the IDF spoke to Tazpit News Agency about the exact whereabouts of the attack. “The soldiers were part of an IDF convoy that was using a civilian road, one that hundreds of civilians use on a daily basis. They were not patrolling the border fence,” he told Tazpit.
The attack took place near Ghajar, an Arab village on the Israeli-Lebanese border. Hezbollah took responsibility for the attack and stated it was a retaliatory action for the bombing of the joint Iranian-Hezbollah convoy, which took place on Syrian territory on January 18, 2015.
In the attack, Hezbollah fired five missiles, probably “Kornet” Anti-Tank missile, at two IDF vehicles in close proximity to the Israeli-Lebanese border.
Another attack took place Wednesday when IDF posts on Mt. Hermon and Mt. Dov sustained mortar shell bombings fired from Lebanon around 1 p.m.. No one was injured in that attack.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published an official response, “Those who orchestrated this attack will pay the price for their actions. For some time now, Iran via Hezbollah is trying to set up a terror front against Israel on the Golan Heights. We are acting firmly and responsibly against this attempt. The Lebanese government and the Assad regime are responsible for the attacks against Israel originating from their territories.”
“Our goal is to protect the state of Israel, and the sole consideration is the security of its civilians,” said Netanyahu.
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At the U.S. State Department in Washington, spokeswoman Jen Psaki said: “The United States strongly condemns Hezbollah’s attack today from Lebanon on Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in blatant violation of the cease fire between Lebanon and Israel and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which called for the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks. We support Israel’s legitimate right to self-defense and continue to urge all parties to respect the Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon. We urge all parties to refrain from any action that could escalate the situation.
“We are deeply concerned by reports of injuries and casualties on both sides of the Blue Line, including the reported deaths of IDF soldiers and the death of a Spanish UN peacekeeper from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). We extend our sincere condolences to the victims’ families. We also stand with UNIFIL as it fulfills its important mandate to maintain peace and security along the Blue Line.”
Hezbollah continues to incite violence and instability inside Lebanon by attacking Israel and by its presence and fighting inside Syria, which violates Lebanese leaders’ agreed policy of dissociating Lebanon from foreign conflicts.
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Rozenwald is a staff writer for the Tazpit News Agency in Israel. Your comment may be posted in the space provided below.