Gallant touring the northern border
Gallant touring the northern borderIDF Spokesperson

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant toured the border with Lebanon on Thursday morning following the bombing attack at the Megiddo Junction earlier in the week and less than a day after the IDF announced that the terrorist who planted the bomb infiltrated the country from Lebanon and was eliminated by Yamam special forces and Shin Bet operatives.

The Defense Minister was accompanied by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Northern Command Chief Maj. Gen. Ori Gordon, and Galilee Division Commander Br. Gen. Shai Klefter.

Gallant stated: "The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and we will discover all of the details. This was a complex attack, but thanks to the security forces' intelligence and operational capabilities, we will find out who was behind it. I want to say from here, on the northern border, in the clearest possible way: Whoever carried out the attack will come to regret it."

פעילות צה"ל בצפוןדובר צה"ל

Defense Minister Gallant also held a situational assessment regarding the attack at the Megiddo Junction and was updated on the investigation and the presence of troops in the area. The minister was presented with the initial findings of the investigation and the intelligence findings to complete the picture.

Gallant showed appreciation for the joint effort and quick work of the security forces which led to the elimination of the terrorist and the prevention of at least one attack that was in the planning stages.

הרמטכ"ל בהתייעצות בגבול הצפון
הרמטכ"ל בהתייעצות בגבול הצפוןצילום: דובר צה"ל

On Wednesday, it was cleared for publication that following the bombing at the Megiddo Junction, security forces had begun searching for suspects. A vehicle was stopped in the area of Moshav Ya'ara, where the terrorist was located. The terrorist was armed and presented a danger to the Shin Bet and Yamam counter-terrorism officers who stopped his vehicle, leading them to shoot and kill him.

An explosive belt was found in the terrorist's possession along with other weapons, leading authorities to conclude that he had been planning to carry out another terrorist attack. The size of the explosives found with him indicated that a massive attack had been planned.

According to the preliminary results of the investigation, the terrorist crossed the Israel-Lebanon border and placed a bomb at the Megiddo Junction. He then hitched a ride back north.