The investigation into Hezbollah firing an anti-tank rocket at an IDF force near Avivim is expected to be completed in the coming days. According to the report released by Yisrael Hayom military correspondent Yoav Limor on Wednesday, it is quite possible that measures may be taken against senior commanders when the official report is presented to IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Aviv Kochavi in the coming days.

The incident in question occurred on September 1, 2019 near Yishuv Avivim. The area was on high alert, expecting a Hezbollah retaliatory strike following a number of attacks that were attributed to the Israel Air Force (IAF), including the elimination of equipment for a Beirut missile precision project and the elimination of terrorists responsible for launching drones in the area of the Syrian/Lebanese borders.

The early steps taken ahead of an expected retaliatory strike included the removal of IDF soldiers from several posts in the sector so that there was no targets stationed there to be harmed. In addition, area roads were closed to civilian vehicles, roads visible to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

These moves are based on years of dealing with the terrorist army, including the killing of two soldiers while they were repairing an antenna at the Nurit post along the border in 2004 as well as the killing of a soldier and officer who were traveling on a road considered ‘safe’ back in 2015. These two incidents have led to more stringent precautionary steps being taken, as was the case in September.

However, despite regulations and the high stage of alert, an armored military ambulance entered the area carrying a military physician and four soldiers. They were traveling on a road that was closed to all in the Avivim area. A Hezbollah team stood prepared, waiting for a target, and the terrorists fired anti-tank rockets at the armored ambulance.

One of the three rockets fired missed the ambulance by only a few meters (yards) and while a tire was blown out from shrapnel, none of the personnel on board was injured or worse.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)