Israeli military and intelligence believe the Lebanese militant organisation Hezbollah could be linked to an explosion in northern Israel on Monday which severely injured an Arab-Israeli civilian.

Following the explosion, next to a vehicle, road-blocks were set up in the region and a search for the suspect began.

Later that day a vehicle was stopped as part of a routine search near the Lebanese border; Israeli special forces shot dead a passenger inside after he presented a “threat”.

A suicide belt, a rifle and ammunition were found in the car. The owner of the car is being questioned – their involvement is unclear.

Details were kept secret and a news blackout imposed for a number of days as the investigation was carried out.

The embargo was lifted late on Wednesday afternoon so that further incorrect speculation and rumours did not spread.

“The assumption was that he was going to conduct another attack,” the Israeli military said in a briefing to journalists.

“We believe he crossed the (Lebanese) border and was trying to get back. There are many unsolved details.”

The identity of the man is not known but Israeli intelligence believe he has links to Lebanon and might have crossed the border over the weekend; he is not thought to be from the West Bank.

One working theory, not denied by the military, is that the bomb was similar to explosives used against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon many years ago.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has just left for a trip to Berlin, has been briefed by senior defence and security officials and will cut short his visit to Germany, returning on Thursday evening rather than Friday.

Hezbollah is an Iranian-backed militant group in southern Lebanon.

Although it has fought a number of wars against Israel, the border has been relatively quiet in recent years.

The Israeli military said life should continue as normal in the north and no special instructions have been issued to residents.

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