Elazar Yair Wilensky, 14, identified as student killed by Hezbollah ordnance explosion in North

OCTOBER 13, 2026 07:29Updated: OCTOBER 13, 2026 07:35Elazar Yair Wilensky, 14, was identified as the student killed on Monday when an unexploded munition detonated during a school trip in the Ramim Ridge area of northern Israel, near the Lebanese border.Wilensky, the youngest of five siblings, was described by his family as "a boy who loved life. Smart and intelligent, full of joy, a good and beloved friend, whose entire future was still ahead of him."He is survived by his parents, three sisters, and a brother.In a statement, the Ma'alot-Tarshiha Municipality said that Mayor Moti Ben-David and the rest of the city "share in the profound grief of the Wilensky family and extend their condolences at this difficult and painful time."The Ma'alot-Tarshiha Municipality continues to closely support the families of those affected. At the same time, welfare teams and educational psychological services continue to provide emotional support and assistance to students, families, and educational staff."IDF soldiers evacuate wounded victims into a military helicopter after unexploded Hezbollah ordnance detonated in northern Israel, October 12, 2026. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)The incident occurred when a group of students and teachers from ORT Ma'alot High School's yeshiva program was struck by an explosion involving unexploded ordnance during a hiking trip.Some 24 teachers, children injured in explosion meters from Lebanese borderAccording to the initial reports, 24 teachers and students were injured in the incident. One person was critically injured and pronounced dead shortly afterward. Two others were seriously injured, 10 sustained moderate injuries, and another 12 were lightly injured.The victims suffered injuries of varying severity, including serious injuries. A medical evacuation helicopter was dispatched to the scene. The IDF declared the incident a mass-casualty event and sent helicopters to the area.The incident occurred near the Paar Lookout, approximately 50 to 100 meters from the Lebanese border.A nearby military outpost had been manned by Combat Engineering Corps soldiers throughout the war, leading Hezbollah to direct heavy fire at the area during the fighting.The assessment is that the explosion was caused by a Hezbollah missile or artillery shell that had landed in the area but failed to detonate at the time.The area is densely vegetated, which is believed to explain why the unexploded munition had not been discovered previously.A preliminary investigation showed evidence that one of the students put the Hezbollah cluster munition into his bag, which later detonated.Follow us on Google