Teenager Killed and 24 Injured in Unexploded Cluster Munition Blast at Ramim Ridge

A 14-year-old student was killed, and 24 others were injured on Monday after an unexploded munition detonated during a school trip at Ramim Ridge in northern Israel, near the Lebanese border.

The victims were students and staff members from the ORT Ma’alot religious secondary school, who were hiking in the area as part of an annual school trip.

Suspected Hezbollah Cluster Munition

According to preliminary findings, the explosive device was believed to be an unexploded cluster munition fired by Hezbollah during the fighting along the northern border.

Initial reports indicated that one of the students may have picked up the device and placed it in a backpack before it exploded. The precise sequence of events remains under investigation.

Two Teenagers Seriously Injured

Emergency medical teams treated the casualties at the scene. The 14-year-old boy died despite resuscitation efforts. Two other teenagers sustained serious injuries, while additional students and two adults suffered moderate or minor injuries.

The wounded were evacuated to hospitals in northern Israel, including Ziv Medical Center in Safed, Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya, and Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa.

 Search for Additional Unexploded Munitions

Israeli military and police bomb-disposal teams were deployed to the scene to investigate the explosion and search for additional unexploded ordnance.

The incident has renewed concerns over the dangers posed by unexploded ammunition in northern Israel, where remnants of rockets and other munitions remain in areas affected by the fighting.

Authorities are examining the circumstances of the incident, including the handling of the explosive device and the safety procedures governing school trips in the region.