Landmines and Unexploded Ordnance Pose Persistent Threat Along Borders
A recent explosion near Ramim Ridge on the northern border highlights the enduring threat of old landmines and unexploded ordnance across Israel's frontier regions.
An explosion near Ramim Ridge on the Israel-Lebanon border highlights the persistent danger of old landmines and unexploded ordnance. Although the circumstances of the latest incident are still under investigation, landmines and remnants of war have caused numerous casualties over the decades.
Historical Incidents Along the Borders
Landmines planted by various armies can shift due to heavy rains, soil erosion, and geological movements. Alongside minefields, unexploded grenades, shells, and other munitions remain active and hazardous.
A similar incident occurred on March 21, 2023, when two IDF soldiers were injured by a mine explosion during routine engineering activity in an enclave beyond the border fence but within sovereign Israeli territory.
In February 2018, seven soldiers sustained light injuries after their military vehicle entered a minefield near Qasr al-Yahud in the Jordan Valley while engineering forces were repairing perimeter fencing.
Recent Casualties and Demining Challenges
In September 2025, Major (res.) Rabbi Liraz Zeira, a battalion chaplain, was severely injured after stepping on an old Syrian landmine at an IDF outpost in southern Syria. Doctors were forced to amputate both of his legs.
According to IDF data published in 2022, the Northern Command region contained approximately 4,000 minefields spanning some 85,000 dunams. The National Mine Action Authority reported that about 200,000 mines have been cleared from roughly 9,000 dunams since its inception, though many dangerous areas remain.
The Ministry of Defense warns that unexploded ordnance can detonate from slight movement or even without apparent cause. Anyone spotting suspicious military items must immediately distance themselves and report the finding to the Israel Police at 100.