At least 12 hikers injured, including kids, in blast near Lebanon border
Key updates
10 schoolchildren, 1 adult hospitalized at Ziv and Rambam hospitals after deadly blast
Seven wounded schoolchildren — two in serious condition and five with minor injuries — have been admitted to Ziv Medical Center in Safed following the deadly explosion in the Ramim Ridge area in the Upper Galilee, the hospital says.
At Rambam Health Care Center in Haifa, three teenagers and one adult are being examined in the trauma room, the hospital says.
An information center has been opened for the public at 1255161.
Riyadh airport to stay closed until October 17
Riyadh’s King Khaled International Airport in Saudi Arabia will remain closed until 2100 GMT on October 17, according to a new Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM), following a series of deadly attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis.
Initial probe suggests teenager put Hezbollah rocket submunition in backpack during hike, and it then exploded
The ordnance that exploded on schoolchildren hiking in the Ramim Ridge area in northern Israel is believed by the military to be a submunition from a Hezbollah rocket.
During the recent war, Hezbollah launched several Grad rockets containing dozens of BRB1-type submunitions at northern Israel. The rockets spread the submunitions over wide areas, and often do not explode on impact.
One of the schoolchildren is believed to have picked up a submunition during a hike along the Naftali Mountains Forest scenic route and put it in his backpack. Several minutes later, the submunition exploded, according to a preliminary probe by authorities.
The blast killed a teenager and wounded 19 others, including two in serious condition and three in moderate condition.
Politicians across spectrum mourn deadly northern Israel blast; Netanyahu cancels plans
Politicians from across the political spectrum express condolences and wish the injured a speedy recovery after an explosion in northern Israel near the Lebanon border killed one and wounded about 20 school students and teachers on a hike.
Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot says his heart is with “the family of the person killed, the injured and their families.”
“I commend the security and rescue forces working at the scene and join all Israelis in praying for the wounded’s speedy recovery,” he adds.
B’Yachad party chairman Naftali Bennett says in a post on X that he is “praying with all of Israel for the recovery of the students and teachers,” posting the text of Psalm 130, a biblical prayer for mercy and redemption, alongside his message.
Shas party chairman Aryeh Deri also attaches the prayer to his statement, saying his thoughts are with the injured and their families and that he is praying for their “complete and speedy recovery.”
“I share in the profound grief of the family of the person killed and wish all the wounded a speedy recovery,” Opposition Leader and B’Yachad No. 2 Yair Lapid says.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled his remaining plans for the day after being briefed on the incident, Hebrew media reports, including a scheduled visit to the West Bank and an appearance on the pro-government Channel 14.
Saudi media reports forces have responded to attacks, following strikes on Yemeni capital
Saudi state-run media says forces have responded to attacks, but don’t give further details.
The reports come after airstrikes on Yemen’s capital Sanaa killed one person and wounded 12 others, according to the Houthi-run health ministry.
Ministry spokesman Anees al-Asbahi says a strike on a salt factory in Sanaa’s Hamadan district killed a man and wounded eight people. A separate strike on a house wounded a woman and three children, he says.
The rebels’ media center blames Saudi Arabia for the strikes, which comes as the Houthis continue to fire missiles and drones toward the kingdom’s airports.
There is no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia.
EU establishes new mission to help Lebanon ‘strengthen territorial control’
European Union foreign ministers adopt a decision establishing a new support mission in Lebanon aimed at advising the country’s military and internal security forces.
The mission “will advise and assist the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces to strengthen territorial control, border security, and internal security,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says in a statement, adding that “Europe is invested in Lebanon’s future.”
The Council of the EU says the mission will have an initial mandate of three years.
Teenager killed, 19 injured in blast near Lebanon border, medics say; police probe circumstances
One teenager has been killed by an unexploded ordnance blast in the Ramim Ridge area in northern Israel, close to the border with Lebanon, Magen David Adom says.
Some 19 others are injured, including two in serious condition and three in moderate condition. The injured are teenage schoolchildren and teachers from the ORT Ma’alot school who were hiking along the Naftali Mountains Forest scenic route in the area.
Police say sappers are operating the scene to investigate the circumstances of the explosion, the source of which was apparent unexploded ordnance.
The source of the ordnance is under review.
The Israeli military says it has also deployed sappers of the elite Yahalom Combat Engineering unit to the scene to scan for other possible unexploded ordnance in the area, along with medics and three Air Force helicopters to evacuate the wounded.
After a week of settlers blocking Palestinian home, children escorted to school by IDF
Yousef Shanaran, a resident of Wadi Rahim in the southern West Bank’s South Hebron Hills, whose home has been blocked by settlers for a week, tells The Times of Israel that his four children, aged 8 to 13, went to school this morning for the first time since the blockade began, after their departure was coordinated with the military and they were escorted by soldiers.
Shanaran himself was hospitalized in recent days due to a medical condition and returned home this morning, also after coordinating his return with the military.
On Monday last week, settlers established an outpost directly outside the entrance to Shanaran’s home in Area B of the West Bank, apparently in an attempt to drive the family out and take over the property.
Several days later, the IDF set up a military position nearby, and both soldiers and settlers are now stationed at the site.
According to footage from the scene, the IDF has dismantled both the outpost outside Shanaran’s home and an older outpost established a little farther away several times over the past week, but the settlers have rebuilt them each time.
Shanaran said he is afraid to leave his home. In recent days, he left for the hospital accompanied by soldiers, while his wife and children remained behind, unable to get out of the house.
Over the past several days, acquaintances of Shanaran have brought food to the family, apparently also in coordination with the military.
Netanyahu’s office says PM conducting assessments of blast in north
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s says he has spoken with Magen David Adom head Eli Bin, Education Minister Yoav Kisch and Military Secretary Maj. Gen. Guy Markizeno about the explosion near the Lebanon border that left schoolchildren and teachers injured.
According to his office, Netanyahu “continues to conduct ongoing situational assessments.”
Medics say 20 injured in blast in north, including one critically
One person is critically wounded in the explosion in the Ramim Ridge area in northern Israel, close to the border with Lebanon, Magen David Adom says, raising the general tally of injured to around 20.
In addition, two are listed in serious condition, and another three are moderately hurt, according to MDA.
MDA says it is also assessing some 15 others at the scene, who are listed in good condition. Some of them may require hospitalization.
The injured are schoolchildren and teachers who were on a hike near the Pe’er observation point. The cause of the blast is believed to be the result of unexploded ordnance, although this is still under investigation by authorities.
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