Six Thai agricultural workers were injured when an old explosive device detonated at a farm in Metula, northern Israel, on the morning of 18 August, local time. Two of the six were reported to be in a serious condition.

The Times of Israel reported that the blast occurred in an agricultural area of the northern Israeli town. All six injured workers are Thai nationals.

Israel Police said they were investigating the explosion.

Hospital treatment under way

The two workers in a serious condition were taken to Ziv Medical Center in Safed, according to the hospital.

The other four Thai workers were also receiving treatment in the emergency department.

Professor Aviram Nissan, director of surgery at Ziv Medical Center, said one of the seriously injured workers was undergoing surgery in an operating theatre. The other was receiving diagnostic imaging to assess their injuries and determine further treatment.

No names, ages or further details about the six workers were included in the information reported. The circumstances surrounding the old explosive device and how it came to be in the agricultural area have not yet been disclosed.

Picture courtesy of Post Today

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18 August 2026

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UPDATE

Metula blast injures six Thai farm workers

Picture courtesy of Times of Israel

Six Thai agricultural workers were injured early on Tuesday 18 August 2026, when an old explosive device detonated in a nectarine orchard near Metula, Israel's northernmost community on the Lebanon border.

Two men were seriously hurt and one was moderately injured. The other three casualties were treated in the Emergency Department at Ziv Medical Center in Safed, according to the hospital.

Ynet reported that the injured farmhands were from Thailand. Thai nationals make up the largest group of overseas workers in Israel.

Evacuation by helicopter and ambulance

Magen David Adom said its medics worked alongside an Israel Defense Forces medical team to evacuate the injured. They were taken to Ziv Medical Center by helicopter and ambulance.

Prof. Aviram Nissan, director of Ziv's surgical department, said one of the seriously injured men was undergoing surgery. The second seriously injured worker was having imaging tests to determine further treatment.

The Metula Municipality said the blast happened in an orchard next to the town. Based on the details known so far, it said, the device was an old bomb which had remained undiscovered before being accidentally triggered.

Police warn public over debris

Police said they were investigating the cause of the explosion and urged members of the public not to touch shrapnel or interceptor debris they may find.

Metula lies close to the Israel-Lebanon border, an area that has seen heavy fighting over the past three years. Agricultural workers in border communities have faced particular risks, often with inadequate nearby shelters or protection.

The incident will be of concern to Thai families with relatives working in Israel, including those considering employment overseas. Thailand and Israel have a bilateral arrangement for Thai workers, which was frozen after the start of the war but resumed in summer 2024.

According to the Knesset Foreign Workers Committee, more than 195,000 overseas workers were legally employed in Israel, alongside more than 33,000 undocumented workers.

At the beginning of the war, thousands of Thai workers returned to Thailand before the agreement enabling further arrivals resumed.

18 August 2026

Hope they all recover quickly, and are able to get back to supporting their families back in Thailand.