Six Thai workers were injured by an explosion of unexploded ordnance in a fruit orchard near Metula, in northern Israel near the Lebanese border. Initially, two were in critical condition while police are investigating the origin of the old explosive device.
Israeli media reported that six Thai workers were injured by an old explosive device that detonated within agricultural land near Metula in northern Israel, close to the Lebanon border, on the morning of Tuesday, 18 Aug.
Israeli police and emergency medical units stated they received a report of an explosion in a fruit orchard near Metula at 06:52 local time, then dispatched teams to inspect the site and coordinated with bomb disposal units to handle the incident.
All six injured Thai workers were taken to Ziv Medical Center in Safed. Among them, two were critically injured, one moderately injured, and three were being treated in the emergency department.
Professor Aviram Nissan, head of surgery at Ziv Medical Center, said one critically injured patient was rushed into surgery, while another was undergoing diagnostic evaluation to assess injuries and plan further treatment.
Magen David Adom emergency services reported that upon arrival at the scene, the injured were conscious but had bodily wounds. Medical teams triaged, stopped bleeding, administered medication, and provided first aid before collaborating with Israeli military medical teams to evacuate the injured by helicopter and ambulance.
The Metula local council stated the explosion occurred in a nectarine orchard near the town and is believed to have been caused by an unexploded or uncleared explosive device left in the area that had never been detected or rendered safe.
It remains unclear which side the explosive originated from or when it was left there. Israeli police have begun investigating the cause and source of the explosion.
This incident follows prolonged fighting along Israel’s northern border, leaving unexploded ordnance and weapon debris scattered in many areas. Authorities warned the public not to touch explosive fragments, rocket interception debris, or suspicious items found in the region and to immediately notify police.
The Metula local council confirmed this incident is not considered a security event, and normal activities within the town continue as usual.
There are slight discrepancies in injury reports: the local council initially reported five injured, while Magen David Adom reported six, with no clear explanation provided for the difference.
Meanwhile, Arab media reported four overnight airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur military base in the eastern rural area of Idlib province, Syria. Reports suggest Israel may be responsible; if confirmed, this would mark the Israeli military’s return to striking targets in Syria after a long hiatus. The Israeli military has not commented on these reports.
Additionally, Lebanese media reported Israeli attacks on the villages of Al-Mansouri and Deir Sirian in southern Lebanon, areas of ongoing Israeli military activity.
On Tuesday morning, missile interceptions were launched from western Galilee in Israel, initially thought to be a response to a misidentified target. No further details have been reported yet.