FALCON POWERS – An Israeli investigative committee confirmed that the explosion that occurred at the headquarters of the Israeli army in the Lebanese city of Tyre in 1982 was caused by a car bomb, resulting in the death of 76 Israeli soldiers.
The official Israeli narrative until recently was that the explosion was caused by a gas leak in the building, as stated at the time.
According to Israeli Channel 12, the committee, formed in November 2022 and comprising dozens of employees from the Shin Bet security service, the military, and the Israeli police, as well as experts, reached new conclusions.
An unnamed Shin Bet official said the investigation team reviewed all available information about the explosion, including thousands of documents issued before and after the incident, examined intelligence information, and consulted with explosives and forensic experts.
The official confirmed that the investigation “with a high probability or perhaps with absolute certainty” determined that it was a terrorist attack, not a gas leak.
The committee concluded that the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber using a booby-trapped Peugeot 504 car, as remains were found that did not belong to any of the Israeli or Lebanese victims, as well as parts of the car found at the scene.
The Shin Bet official stated that “the booby-trapped car contained a 50-kg explosive device and gas cylinders, the explosion of which led to the collapse of the building.”
According to the committee’s conclusions, the attack was carried out under the supervision of Iran, and Imad Mughniyeh, a leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah at the time, was involved.
The operation was carried out by the Lebanese Ahmad Qassir, who was 17 years old at the time, and whom Hezbollah calls the “first martyr.” A memorial monument was erected for him in Lebanon, and a street in Tehran was named after him in his honor.
The Israeli military stated in a statement that the incident will now be considered a “terrorist attack.”
As a result of the bombing of the Israeli army headquarters in the city of Tyre, which took place during the Lebanon war on November 11, 1982, 91 people were killed, including 76 Israeli soldiers and a number of Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners.
