Israel Suspects Hizbullah Role in Recent Bomb Attack in North

The Israel Defense Forces said Wednesday that it is investigating whether the Lebanese-based Hizbullah organization was behind an explosion in the north of the country two days earlier that seriously wounded one person.

Israeli security forces who inspected the explosive device said that it did not resemble those made by Palestinian attackers, while local media said that it was similar to bombs used by Hizbullah. The Israeli media was not initially permitted to report on the details of the incident, most likely due to the ongoing investigation.

The attacker, who is believed to have entered Israel from Lebanon overnight last weekend, was shot dead shortly after the explosion near Megiddo Junction, some 35 miles from the border, following a manhunt in the area.

The IDF said that the armed attacker was driving a car stopped by members of the Border Police’s counter-terrorism unit and the Shin Bet domestic security service close to Moshav Yaara, which is just over one mile from the border. He posed a real danger to the security forces and was neutralized, the army said.

The attacker was in possession of weaponry, an explosives belt and explosive material, the IDF said, adding that they believed he had been planning a further attack.