The incident is under review.
By Erin Viner
The two troops were injured as a result of the explosion of a land mine during a routine patrol by the IDF Combat Engineering Corps near Israel’s northern frontier with Lebanon, said an Israeli military statement.
One of the soldiers was severely injured, while the other sustained lightly wounds. Both were evacuated to a hospital to receive medical treatment.
While the blast is under investigation, initial assessment points indicates the mine dates back for some time and was not recently planted.
In other developments, it has been cleared for publication that the terror cell responsible for a shooting attack on the Jewish community of Karmei Tzur has been apprehended.
According to a joint IDF and Israel Security Agency (ISA, Shin Bet) announcement, the squad was arrested during counterterrorism activity in the Palestinian town of Beit Ummar.
The three 20-year-old operatives were identified as Muhammad Salibi, Rashed al-Zaqiq and Khabib Salibi.
During questioning, the gunmen admitted to the crime, and having tampered with evidence following the 22 January attack. One of the terrorists also confessed to involvement in a number of other incidents during which he hurled firebombs and rocks at Israeli civilian vehicles and IDF forces.
Indictments were filed against all three suspects at the Military Court in Judea. Following request by the prosecution, the Military Court ordered their detention be extended until the conclusion of the adjudication.
“The IDF and ISA will continue to operate to thwart terrorism and ensure the security of Israel,” pledged the joint statement.
27 additional suspected terrorists were arrested, and large weapons and munitions caches were seized by IDF, ISA and Border Police forces during extensive counter-terror activity overnight and this morning as part of Operation Waves Breaker.
Palestinian terrorists shot guns and hurled explosive devices at the Israeli forces on a number of instances, although no injuries were reported.
Additionally, the IDF Samaria Brigade and other operational forces conducted an assessment in the Palestinian city of Nablus ahead of the demolition of the residence of the terrorist who murdered 26 February murders of Israeli brothers Hillel and Yagel Yaniv.
“This mission is moral and very important and we will continue to act against those seeking us harm,” said IDF Samaria Brigade Engineering Captain Dudu Turjeman.