Illustration) Hezbollah fighters on parade)
Illustration) Hezbollah fighters on parade)Reuters

An investigation into Friday night's skirmishes between Israel and Lebanon - during which an explosive device was detonated on the Lebanese side of the border and the IDF retaliated with shells - has revealed that Hezbollah terrorists succeeded in entering Israel. 

Walla! News reported Monday night that several Hezbollah terrorists successfully trespassed over the border into Israel on Friday night, several hundreds of meters south of the "Blue Line."

The two bombs mentioned in initial reports had exploded very close to three IDF officers, including the deputy company commander on nearby Mount Dov. 

The 91 division, commanded by Brigadier General Moni Katz, and Division 769 under the command of Major General Deputy Dan Goldfus, are still investigating the incident, according to the daily.

But the first finds of the investigation allegedly indicate that the Lebanese fighters - whether members of Hezbollah or an agency using Hezbollah as a front - penetrated fairly deep into Israel's side of the border, and had decided to use explosives to maim rather than kidnap as a premeditated decision based on Lebanon's experiences with kidnapping Israeli soldiers in 2000 and 2006. 

The investigation's main focus is how the terrorists infiltrated Israel, as they entered along the border frequented the most by constant IDF patrols. Senior IDF officials noted that the incident is "very serious," considering that the explosives were placed at what many consider to be the most secure point on the Israel-Lebanon border and should have been detected earlier. 

The officials also emphasized that the incident could easily have ended in the death or kidnapping of IDF soldiers. The report, once completed, will be presented by the end of the week for evaluation on further action to General of the Northern Command, Yair Golan. In the meantime, patrols have increased along that section of the border and the alert level has been raised to prevent further attempts. 

Three soldiers were treated for shock on Friday after the explosives detonated. The IDF responded to the incident by shelling Hezbollah positions near the border. 

However, this is the first time that information has been published about the exact nature of Friday's clash between Israel and its northernmost neighbor. Suspected terrorists - who local Arabs claimed were lost shepherds - also neared the border on Saturday, but it is unclear whether the two incidents are connected.