Maarakeh bombing

The Maarakeh bombing took place on 4 March 1985, a bomb exploded in a Shiite religious center (Hussainiya) in the southern Lebanese village of Maarakeh. 15 people were killed, including two leaders of the Amal movement that was fighting Israel, and 55 were injured. Author Nicholas Blanford said that the bomb was "planted by the Israelis during the earlier raid" [on 2 March] while according to Robert Fisk, French intelligence in Lebanon believed that Israel planted the bomb. Israel denied involvement. In 2018, Ronen Bergman wrote in Rise and Kill First, that it was Mossad agents commanded by Meir Dagan who planted the bomb.

Background

Israeli withdrawal plan After it invaded Lebanon in 1982, Israel established a three-stage withdrawal plan. In February 1985, it implemented the first stage and relocated its forces south to the Litani river. On 3 March, one day before the attack, the cabinet approved the second stage. 2 March raid On 2 March, 800 Israeli soldiers raided Maarakeh. They searched the village's "Hussainiya" while keeping the residents outside, and arrested 17 men. == Attack ==

Attack

Less than 30 hours after Israeli troops had left, a thirty-pound bomb planted on the second floor of the Hussainiya exploded, during a meeting held to discuss the distribution of the relief and food supplies. == Aftermath ==

Aftermath

Lebanese radio stations asserted that the explosion was from a car that was booby-trapped, however earlier reports from the village said the bomb was planted on the second floor. Chris Mowles linked this attack with another bombing in Sidon, saying: "They strenuously denied involvement in the bombing, but never provided a satisfactory explanation of how anyone could have smuggled such a huge quantity of explosives into the South and past the myriad checkpoints that surrounded Sidon". Journalist Ronen Bergman wrote in 2018 that Mossad operatives (under the command of Meir Dagan) were responsible for the attack. == References ==

Source: Wikipedia ↗

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