Fourth Soldier Identified in Tank Disaster in Southern Lebanon

The IDF said Sunday morning that Staff Sgt. Naveh Havshush, 20, from Geva Binyamin, was the fourth soldier killed in the tank disaster involving the battalion commander in southern Lebanon. The other dead were Lt. Col. Dor Ben Shimon, Staff Sgt. Yoav Klein, and Staff Sgt. Liav Kebabia.

Havshush’s father, Haim, wrote on Friday after the family was notified of his death: “Dear friends, IDF officers came to tell us last night the saddest news of all. Our sweet and dear son Naveh was killed last night in Lebanon. We would very much like to see everyone continue to go on trips and try to keep routine as much as possible. That is what Naveh died for. So that we can continue to live in this country. Safely, happily and calmly.”

The army said the circumstances of the incident, in which the battalion commander and the three fighters were killed, are still under investigation. It was revealed Monday that the team had taken part in an operation to seize a fortified Hezbollah compound in the Ali Tahr ridge area. Israeli forces now control the site operationally, and a senior military source said dozens of militants were trapped there. The compound is described as one of Hezbollah’s main strongholds in southern Lebanon.

The deadly incident took place near the village of Taybe, in southern Lebanon near the city of Nabatieh. Around 12:20 a.m., a “suspicious target” struck a tank belonging to Battalion 52, which operates under the Givati Brigade combat team. The IDF has not yet determined what hit the tank, but has ruled out an accident or technical malfunction. It says the tank was hit by an external attack, possibly an explosive drone or an anti-tank missile. Further details are expected later.