Israeli Officer Killed in Lebanon Accident, Gaza Drone Incident Prompts Review

The IDF on Thursday evening released the name of Captain Eliab Haim Tzeflamus, a fighter in the 7th Brigade, who died earlier that day when a military Humvee overturned in southern Lebanon. Three other soldiers sustained minor injuries in the incident.

This brings the total number of fallen IDF soldiers since the start of the war to 971. Of these, 475 fell in the Gaza Strip and 88 in southern Lebanon. The last IDF fatalities in Lebanon prior to this incident occurred on August 5, when Major (res.) Harel Birnstock, 34, from Nokdim, and Sergeant First Class (res.) Tamar Waknin, 33, from Eilat, both from the Paratroopers Brigade, were killed by an explosive device in the town of Majdal Zoun. Four reservist soldiers were seriously injured in that same event.

Separately, on September 30, Sergeant First Class (res.) Nadav Kali, 24, from Har Halutz, and Sergeant First Class (res.) Ofek Moalem, 23, from Jerusalem, were killed in northern Gaza by an exploding IDF drone. The incident occurred at a base for reservists from Battalion 7007 of the Jerusalem Brigade, when the soldiers were operating an "Atalef" attack drone. The drone crashed within the base perimeter, and when two soldiers approached to inspect it, it detonated, causing fatal injuries. They were evacuated by helicopter to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, where they were pronounced dead.

Following the drone incident, the Head of the Ground Forces Command ordered a temporary 48-hour suspension of the use of attack drones as a precautionary measure, pending a reassessment. Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir has also ordered the formation of an expert panel, headed by a Brigadier General from the Ground Forces, to investigate the circumstances of the drone explosion and prevent future occurrences.