Mines and Unexploded Ordnance Pose Enduring Threat in Israel

A recent explosion at Mount Ramim, near the Israeli-Lebanese border, has brought renewed attention to the dangers posed by old mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) that remain in the ground, sometimes for decades. While the exact cause of the Mount Ramim incident is under investigation, numerous past incidents in Israel and areas where the IDF operated have resulted in casualties among soldiers and civilians.

Mines, often laid along borders by various armies including the IDF, can shift position due to rain, erosion, and ground movement. In addition to mines, the terrain often contains grenades, shells, and other ordnance that failed to detonate upon initial use but remain active and hazardous. These dangers have led to tragic events over the years.

In March 2023, two IDF soldiers were injured by a mine explosion during routine engineering work in an enclave on the Lebanese border, within Israeli sovereign territory. One soldier's condition was updated from serious to moderate, while the other sustained minor injuries. An initial investigation suggested the soldiers had stepped on an old Israeli mine that had likely shifted. In February 2018, seven soldiers were lightly injured when their military vehicle struck a mine near Qasr al-Yahud in the Jordan Valley while they were repairing a fence around a minefield.

Three years prior, an IDF officer suffered severe shrapnel wounds to her lower limbs from a mine explosion in the Saar Stream area of the Golan Heights, requiring a leg amputation. In May 2013, Sergeant Roey Yisrael Alfie, 19, was killed by an anti-tank mine explosion in the southern Golan Heights while participating in a mine detection and clearance operation. An investigation into this incident revealed shortcomings in command procedures, leading to the company commander's dismissal.

In October 2013, a 37-year-old man was moderately injured after stepping on ordnance in an abandoned building near Kibbutz Yarden in the Beit She'an Valley. In February 2010, five family members were injured, one seriously, when they encountered a mine while hiking in the snow in the northern Golan Heights. The family claimed there were no clear signs or fences warning of the minefield, sparking public debate and contributing to the advancement of legislation for a national mine clearance authority.

Beyond mines, UXO also poses a threat. In April 2017, two young brothers, aged 6 and 10, were killed while playing with unexploded ordnance near a Bedouin tent encampment in the Segev Shalom area. In September 2015, reserve Major Rabbi Liraz Ze'ira, a military rabbi and Chabad emissary, lost both legs after stepping on an old Syrian mine in an IDF post in southern Syria. He was evacuated and underwent surgery at Rambam Hospital, where both legs were amputated. He has since begun walking with prosthetic legs. In August 2015, an old Syrian grenade exploded during IDF operations in the Syrian Hermon foothills, lightly injuring four soldiers.

According to IDF data from 2022, approximately 4,000 minefields covering about 85,000 dunams (approximately 21,000 acres) existed in the Northern Command area. The National Mine and UXO Clearance Authority has cleared about 200,000 mines from roughly 9,000 dunams since its establishment. However, significant mined areas remain along the country's borders, particularly in the Golan Heights, Jordan Valley, and the Arava Desert. The Ministry of Defense warns that UXO can detonate with minimal disturbance and urges the public not to approach or touch any suspicious items, but to immediately report them to the police.