IOF Nabs Two Migrants Who Entered Occupied Palestinian Territories from Lebanon

By Staff, Agencies 

“Israeli” Occupation Forces [IOF] soldiers arrested two suspects who crossed into northern “Israeli” entity from Lebanon on Thursday morning, following an hours-long manhunt, the army said, amid rising tensions along the restive northern frontier.

The two men appeared to be migrants from Lebanon who entered the “Israeli”-occupied Palestinian territories with the hope of finding work. They were being questioned by “Israeli” security forces, the military said.

Troops were sent to the area around the settlements of Dovev and Baram near the Palestinian-Lebanese border at around 2 a.m. after two suspicious people were spotted crossing the border fence into the “Israeli” entity, according to the military.

“At this hour, ‘Israeli’ forces are in pursuit of two suspects and using an array of utilities to stop them,” the IOF said in a statement just before 6 a.m.

“Troops are isolating the area where the suspects are, which includes deploying forces and blocking roads,” the army said.

Flares and aircraft were being utilized in the search, according to videos from the area that were shared on social media.

The “Israeli” military said the men were eventually arrested near the security fence.

As a precautionary move, the military initially instructed settlers in Dovev and Baram to remain inside their residences, but the order was quickly lifted as it became clear the suspects were likely to be migrants looking for work.

There was no immediate comment from Lebanese authorities or UNIFIL, the United Nations peacekeeping force stationed in southern Lebanon.