Shots fired from Lebanon towards IDF position along border

The Israeli military launched dozens of flares along the border with Lebanon on Monday night amid concerns of a possible infiltration near Kibbutz Menara in the Upper Galilee and has ordered residents in five communities to remain indoors.According to Lebanon’s state news agency, initial reports indicated that an infiltration had occurred along the border. However, it was later reported that no such infiltration took place, according to The Jerusalem Post‘s sister publication, Maariv.

#IDF now confirming a security related incident near Kibbutz Menara along the border with #Lebanon. Flares have been launched and several roads have been closed over concerns of a possible infiltration.

— Anna Ahronheim (@AAhronheim) August 25, 2020

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 25, 2020

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed that a security incident took place near the kibbutz, and that roads in the areas of Malkia, Ramot Naftali and Margaliot had been blocked.

Now in northern Israel “IDF: A security incident is evolving in the Manara area near the Blue Line. A number of routes in the area have been blocked. Details to follow.” pic.twitter.com/Lly3mJe91y

— Seth Frantzman (@sfrantzman) August 25, 2020

The IDF later found bullet holes in a wall at a military stand near the border in the area near Menara. The incident is under investigation.Residents of the communities of Menara, Margaliot, Malkiya, Misgav Am and Yiftach were ordered by the military to stay in their homes and lock their doors. All outdoor activities were prohibited, including agricultural work, and if a warning is given, residents were instructed to enter their bomb shelters immediately for the next 10 minutes.However, this order was soon lifted, and all of them were allowed to go back to normal, Army Radio reported.Troops were reported to be searching the area after suspicious movements were detected near the border in the area of the Ramim Ridge. According to Al-Arabiya, troops located a hole in the fence near Menara.

Following a security incident in northern Israel, residents in Manara, Margaliot, Misgav Am, Yiftach & Malkia have been told to:- stop activity in open areas
– remain in their homes close to shelter
– keep informed of relevant security updatesWe are prepared to defend Israel.

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 25, 2020

Israel’s KAN news reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Safed on a family vacation at the time of the incident and was rushed to the IDF’s Northern Command Headquarters in the city, where, according to Maariv, he continued to receive security updates.Israel has been bracing for a possible attack by the terrorist group after an alleged Israeli airstrike in Syria on July 20 killed one of its members.Hezbollah said at the time that a response to the deadly strike was “inevitable,” leading Israel to deploy troop reinforcements along with advanced intelligence and precision fire systems to its northern borders and ban military vehicles from driving on roads adjacent to the borders.A week later, a group of up to five armed Hezbollah terrorists attempted to infiltrate into Israel, crossing several meters into Israeli territory on Mount Dov, which led IDF troops to fire artillery shells towards the cell, forcing them back into Lebanon without them firing at IDF troops.Nevertheless, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said at the time that the July incident was not his group’s response and a week after that, IDF troops foiled an attempt to place explosive devices along the border fence, several dozens of kilometers away on the border with Syria. The four-member cell was killed by an IDF force on the ground and by aircraft.But as tensions along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon subsided in mid-August, the IDF began to scale back troop reinforcements and other heightened security measures that had been put in place there.While the IDF and defense officials determined that the Lebanese terror group would not carry out an attack following the devastating explosion in Beirut, the remaining troops in the area have nevertheless been ordered to remain in a heightened state of readiness.Tzvi Joffre contributed to this report. Source