Lt. Col. Dor Ben Shimhon, commander of the IDF’s 52nd Battalion in the 401st Armored Brigade, was killed overnight Thursday to Friday in Lebanon after a suspected target struck the tank he was in. He leaves behind a wife and two daughters. He had taken command of the battalion only about two months ago, in April, after his predecessor was seriously wounded.
The army said Ben Shimhon grew up in the Armored Corps and spent most of his service in key command posts there. He led soldiers and commanders in a series of operational roles, later serving as head of the Northern Command commander’s office during Operation Northern Arrows until residents returned home, and completed that job in August. He then attended command and staff college before returning to field command in April.
According to the IDF, Ben Shimhon stepped into the role in a difficult period and was killed while leading his troops from the front, together with his tank crew, three other fighters who died beside him. The army said he “stepped under the burden when needed” and “stood out for his professionalism and leadership.” His wife serves as a combat officer in the Combat Intelligence Corps and received the Chief of Staff’s Excellence Award just a month ago.
The Gilboa Regional Council, where the family lives in Beit Hashita, said he took command “in the midst of complex fighting” and led his soldiers “with determination, exceptional courage and extraordinary responsibility.” The council and the IDF noted that he came from a military family, with five brothers serving in the 401st Brigade and another brother in Golani. His funeral is scheduled for today at 2:00 p.m. at the cemetery in Beit Hashita.
