Two Israeli Reservists Killed in South Lebanon Explosion, IDF Strikes Hezbollah Targets

Two Israeli reservists, Lieutenant Colonel (res.) Harel Birenstock and Major (res.) Tamir Vaknin, both from the 2855th Battalion of the 55th Paratroopers Brigade, were killed on Wednesday in an explosion in the village of Majdal Zun in southern Lebanon. The incident occurred around noon during an ongoing operational clearance mission in the village, which has been active for several months. Four additional soldiers were seriously injured and evacuated to Rambam Hospital in Haifa. Birenstock served as the commander of Company A, while Vaknin was a combat medic in the company.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the explosion happened when a unit encountered an explosive device while clearing a booby-trapped building. The village lies within the western sector of the Security Zone, south of the Blue Line, in an area controlled by the IDF. It remains unclear whether the explosive device was planted before or after the ceasefire agreement took effect. The IDF accused Hezbollah of a "blatant violation" of the ceasefire and launched a series of retaliatory strikes against terror infrastructure in the area, targeting weapons warehouses and operational apartments used by the terrorist group.

Among the strikes was an attack on the nearby village of Al-Mansouri, with the IDF issuing urgent evacuation warnings to local residents in Arabic. The military emphasized that the ceasefire breach by Hezbollah forced a strong response. The attacks continued overnight, with Lebanese media affiliated with Hezbollah reporting Israeli Air Force strikes on Al-Mansouri and Burj al-Shamali near Tyre, including drone strikes and artillery shelling in the region of Ali al-Taher ridge. Rescue teams evacuated several wounded individuals from the area.

During the 2006 Lebanon War, the IDF uncovered a large underground facility and drone base in Majdal Zun, dubbed "The Fortress," which served as a Hezbollah staging area. The site contained Iranian-made drones and large quantities of explosives. Israeli forces continue to sweep the area to locate additional weapons and clear the territory. Discussions are ongoing within the Israeli government about potentially authorizing a harsher response, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu involved in deliberations.