JERUSALEM: An Israeli high school student was killed and around two dozen people were injured on Monday after a suspected unexploded Hezbollah munition detonated during a hiking trip near the Lebanese border, officials said.
The Israeli military dispatched helicopters to the scene and said an initial assessment indicated that the explosion was likely caused by unexploded ammunition belonging to the Lebanese militant group.
According to Israeli police, the explosive device, believed to be a cluster bomb from fighting around three years ago, detonated after a student picked it up.
Police said school authorities had received approval for the outdoor excursion in the border region, which has been affected by successive rounds of fighting involving Hezbollah and Israeli military operations against the Iran-backed group.
Israeli authorities said the victim was between 14 and 15 years old. The incident also left approximately 24 other people wounded.