At Lebanon border, Israeli minister vows reprisal for rare bomb attack

JERUSALEM — Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday said those responsible for a rare roadside bomb attack this week which officials said may have involved Lebanon's Hezbollah, would be found and held accountable.

Israel's military said on Wednesday that security forces had killed a man carrying an explosive belt after he apparently crossed from Lebanon into Israel and detonated a bomb on Monday, seriously wounding a motorist. It was examining whether Iran-backed Hezbollah was involved.

"Whoever carried out this attack will regret having carried out an attack against the citizens of Israel and against the state of Israel. We will find the right timing and appropriate manner to hit back," Gallant told reporters while touring the Israel-Lebanon border. 

On Wednesday, an Israeli army statement said that "the situation is being assessed with the government, which will decide on the response.” 

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The suspect allegedly infiltrated Israel from Lebanon according to the statement from the Israeli army published on Wednesday. 

Later that day, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said in a statement said it "has not observed any crossing of the Blue Line in recent days."

The UN force also urged both countries to "use restraint and preserve stability."

Hezbollah has not made any comment so far on the incident.

In 2006, the last major confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah left more than 1,200 dead on the Lebanese side, mostly civilians, and 160 dead on the Israeli side, mostly soldiers. The latest anti-Israeli suicide bombing injured 21 people in Jerusalem on April 19, 2016.