IDF Colonel Natanel Lasri Dies After Three-Year Battle With Cancer

Colonel Natanel “Nati” Lasri, one of the Israel Defense Forces’ most respected and promising armored corps officers, has died at age 40 after a heroic three-year battle with cancer. He most recently served as head of the Planning Department in the IDF Ground Forces.

Lasri, born in Lod and a graduate of the local Scout movement, enlisted in 2004 and joined the IDF’s 401st Armored Brigade. Over a distinguished career, he took part in nearly all of Israel’s major military campaigns of the past two decades, including the Second Lebanon War, when he served as a tank crew member.

He later held a series of command posts in the Gaza Division, including operations officer in Battalion 52 during Operation Cast Lead and deputy company commander during Operation Winter Heat. While commanding an operational company in Battalion 52, he led his soldiers in stopping a complex terror attack at the Israel-Egypt-Gaza border junction, an action for which he received a commendation from the Gaza Division commander. For his performance as company commander during Operation Pillar of Defense, he was awarded a prestigious citation by the IDF chief of staff.

Lasri also served as commander of a training company in the tank commanders’ course during Operation Protective Edge, deputy commander of Battalion 52, and assistant head of the Operations Directorate. Between 2019 and 2021 he commanded Battalion 9, then became operations officer of the 162nd Division. In August 2023 he was appointed commander of the Golan and Hermon Formation, a role he held until April 2024. In May 2025, despite his illness, he took up his final post. He leaves behind a wife and three children.