Tragedy: Explosion During School Trip in Northern Israel

A school trip in northern Israel turned deadly on Monday, October 12, when an explosive device went off near the Lebanese border, killing one teenager and injuring 19 others.

The explosion occurred in the Ramim Ridge area of the Upper Galilee, as students and teachers from ORT Ma'alot high school were hiking along a scenic trail.

According to Magen David Adom (MDA), two of the injured were in serious condition, three were moderately injured, and the others suffered lighter injuries.

An initial Israeli military investigation suggests that one of the students picked up an unexploded device during the hike and placed it in his backpack. Several minutes later, it exploded.

Military officials believe the device may have come from a Hezbollah rocket fired into northern Israel during earlier fighting. Some of these rockets contain smaller explosives that scatter over a wide area and can remain dangerous long after the initial attack.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene, including MDA paramedics, police and IDF personnel. Three Israeli Air Force helicopters were sent to help evacuate the injured, while military explosives experts searched the surrounding area for additional devices.

The tragedy has raised renewed concerns about explosives left behind from previous fighting in northern Israel, particularly in areas where residents and visitors regularly hike.

Israeli authorities are continuing to investigate exactly what happened and how the explosive device ended up along the hiking route.