An Israeli soldier at the scene of a Hezbollah strike on Arab al-Aramche in northern Israel, April 17, 2024. (Credit: Avi Ohayon/Reuters)
BEIRUT — Wednesday marked the highest number of injuries from a Hezbollah attack on northern Israel since the start of cross-border fighting on Oct. 8. The party struck a "community center" in Arab al-Aramshe where soldiers, security officials, and civilians were gathered, Israeli media reports, wounding 18 in total.
According to the Israeli army, five reserve soldiers were seriously wounded, one critically. Thirteen reservists were wounded in total, as were two security officials and three civilians.
The strike occurred at 1:15 p.m. according to a Hezbollah statement in which it claims to have targeted a "new military reconnaissance headquarters" in Arab al-Aramshe, an Israeli border town located opposite the southern Lebanese village of Yarine, in Sour district. The attack, according to Hezbollah, included guided missiles and one-way drones.
Hezbollah said the strike was carried out in retaliation for Israeli strikes on cars in southern Lebanon on Tuesday that killed four people, three of them Hezbollah members, including a field commander.
Haaretz reported rocket sirens having gone off in Arab al-Aramshe around the same time as the Hezbollah attack. The Israeli army said it was investigating why the Iron Dome's interceptor missiles were not launched at the incoming Hezbollah rockets. The defense system is programmed to evaluate whether missiles will fall in civilian areas and only launch an interceptor missile when this is determined to be the case.
"In recent hours, a number of anti-tank missiles and drones were identified as they crossed the border from Lebanese territory towards the village of Arab al-Aramshe in northern Israel," the army said in a statement.
The victims of the attack, which Israeli media said struck a "community center" in the village, were transported to Galil Medical Center. The initial number of wounded was reported at seven, but gradually climbed to 18. Several hours after the strike, the army announced that the majority of wounded were soldiers.
According to Times of Israel Arab al-Aramshe had been mostly evacuated. Soldiers are stationed in the town and "may have used the building as a gathering space." It's unclear why civilians were present.
The Israeli army announced that it had responded to the attack by launching its own against locations in southern Lebanon it says the Hezbollah missiles and drones that fell in Arab al-Aramshe were launched from.