JERUSALEM — An explosion near Israel’s northern border wounded four soldiers, the military said today, while reports from Lebanon said the blast happened inside its territory.
Israel fought a month-long war with the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah in 2006 and sometimes there are cross-border attacks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wished the soldiers a speedy recovery while on a tour of a military base in the south of the country. “We will continue to act responsibly to defend Israel’s borders,” Netanyahu said.
The military said today that the soldiers were hurt during “overnight activity adjacent to the northern border.” It did not say if they were injured in training or in combat, and refused to elaborate further. Israel borders both Lebanon and Syria on its north.
Lebanese security officials, speaking anonymously as they are not authorized to talk to the media, say seven explosions were heard from the Israeli side of the border.
But a TV station close to Hezbollah, al-Mayadeen, said the soldiers were wounded inside the Lebanese border village of Labbouneh.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the soldiers were wounded by a land mine about 150 meters (yards) inside Lebanon.