Israeli man dies from wounds caused by defective Iron Dome missile

A man who was critically injured by a malfunctioning Iron Dome interceptor missile on Tuesday, amid a Hezbollah drone attack on the Western Galilee, has succumbed to his wounds, hospital officials said Friday.

Mikhail Samara, 27, originally from Kafr Yasif in northern Israel and a student in the Czech Republic, had arrived in Israel recently to visit his family.

Amid the attack on Tuesday, an Iron Dome interceptor missile missed one of Hezbollah’s explosive-laden drones and hit the Route 4 highway near Nahariya.

Samara was critically injured by shrapnel from the interceptor impact and taken to Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya for treatment. Earlier Friday, he died of his wounds, the hospital said.

Another 19 people were wounded amid the attack, mostly with minor injuries, including six soldiers, when one of the drones impacted a nearby army base. Most have been released from hospital.

Samara’s uncle Nasser told the Ynet news site Thursday that his nephew was on his way to visit a friend when he was injured by the shrapnel.

Hezbollah continued its attacks on Israel Friday, with over 15 rockets fired within an hour at midday, the IDF said.

Earlier this morning, the Kiryat Shmona Municipality said three rockets launched from Lebanon fell in open areas near the city.

The military also announced that two Hezbollah operatives were killed in an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon’s Naqoura earlier Friday.

The operatives had been spotted by troops of the 146th Division leaving a building in use by the terror group, and a short while later a drone attacked them.