The Matzuva attack was an attack on March 12, 2002, in which two Islamic Jihad militants who infiltrated Israel from Lebanon opened fire on civilian vehicles traveling on the Shlomi-Matzuva road. After killing a shepherd who was out with his flock, the militants, who were dressed in Israeli military uniforms and hid in underbrush, ambushed cars on the road, killing four motorists. The victims included a woman and her teenage daughter from Kibbutz Hanita. The militants were killed in a gunbattle with responding Israeli troops in which an Israeli officer was also killed. Afterwards scans of the area were carried out to ensure no more militants had infiltrated.[1][2][3]
| Matzuva attack | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Second Intifada militancy campaign | |
  The attack site | |
| Location | Near kibbutz Matzuva, Israel |
| Coordinates | 33°3′48″N 35°09′0″E / 33.06333°N 35.15000°E |
| Date | March 12, 2002 |
Attack type | Ambush, mass shooting |
| Weapons | Small arms, hand grenades |
| Deaths | 5 Israeli civilians and 1 Israeli soldier (+2 attackers) |
| Injured | 1 Israeli civilian |
| Perpetrator | Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility |
Initially, Israeli intelligence officials believed that the attack was organized by Hezbollah, although Hezbollah did not confirm this.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b Fatal Attack Shatters Israeli Border Town's Calm, New York Times, 14 March 2002.
- ^ Mother, daughter from Kibbutz Hanita among ambush victims published in [Jerusalem Post] on March 13, 2002.
- ^ הסתיים האירוע בצפון: 6 ישראלים נהרגו, 2 המחבלים חוסלו
External links
- MIDEAST TURMOIL: LEBANON FRONT; Fatal Attack Shatters Israeli Border Town's Calm - published in The New York Times on March 14, 2002
- Terrorists slay 6 in Galilee attack. Area residents confined to homes - published in the Jerusalem Post on March 13, 2002
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