1st LD: Israeli soldiers injured after anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon hits army vehicle

An anti-tank missile was fired at an Israeli military vehicle on Wednesday in Mount Dov, along the Israeli-Lebanese border, injuring several Israelis soldiers, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed.

The incident took place at a part of the Israeli-Lebanese border which does not have a security fence. The attack comes a day after rockets were launched from Syria at northern Israel's Golan Heights.

Several Israeli soldiers were wounded as a result of the attack, their number and their condition was initially unclear and not officially confirmed.

The IDF in response fired artillery into Lebanon. The Lebanese paper the Daily Star quoted Lebanese security officials as saying that at least eight shells were fired from Israel and hit Lebanon. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack on the IDF vehicle.

Israeli security forces instructed Israeli residents of northern Israeli villages near the border to stay in their homes and have blocked several roads, and the military Chief of Staff Benny Gantz and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon both convened emergency assessment meetings following the incident.

After the anti-tank missile was fired, mortars were also fired at Israeli military forces at the scene, as well as a house in the northern Israeli village of Rajar. No injuries were reported as of press time from these attacks.

On Tuesday, two rockets were launched from Syria and landed in open territories in northern Israel's Golan Heights, which Israel annexed in the 1967 Mideast War. No Injuries or damages were reported and the IDF retaliated with artillery into Syria, resulting in several injuries, according to Syrian media.

On Tuesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that "those who play with fire will be hit by fire," regarding the earlier rockets' attack.

He said Israel viewed the rockets attack severely and will "know how to defend itself" against those who "challenge us within our borders."

Israeli security forces believe Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shi'ite militant group, orchestrated this attack along with Syrian forces of President Bashar al-Assad, in response to an alleged Israeli airstrike from last week, which killed several Hezbollah and Iranian operatives, including a top Hezbollah commander and an Iranian general.

The IDF has been on high alert in the past week in northern Israel following the alleged airstrike and anticipating response, deploying more forces in the area. The Ha'aretz daily reported on Tuesday the IDF installed concrete blocks along part of the Israeli-Lebanese border, to protect against shooting attacks.

Although not officially confirmed, it is believed Israel carried out several air strikes against Syria, targeting weapons' transfer from Iran to Hezbollah, due to the overspill of fighting from the Syrian Civil War into northern Israel. Endit