From the Liveblog of
Sunday, February 16, 2025
Some 20 ultra-Orthodox Israelis detained by IDF after they illegally entered Lebanon overnight
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
A group of some 20 ultra-Orthodox Jewish Israelis illegally entered Lebanon overnight, before being detained by IDF troops and handed over to the police.
Israel Police say that it received reports from the IDF that the suspects were detained inside Lebanon after they crossed the border.
The group was apparently trying to reach the tomb of Rav Ashi, a fourth-century Babylonian scholar who is believed buried in the hills near Manara in the Galilee panhandle.
The shrine marking his burial spot straddles the Blue Line and is situated within a militarized compound hemmed in between an IDF post and UNIFIL base.
Police note that crossing the border illegally is punishable with up to four years in jail.
