Two Israeli Soldiers Killed and Four Wounded in South Lebanon Bomb Blast

The IDF confirmed the deaths of two reservist soldiers in a bomb explosion in southern Lebanon on Thursday. Lieutenant Colonel (res.) Harel Birnstok, 34, from the West Bank settlement of Nokdim and a company commander in the Paratroopers Brigade's 2855th Battalion, and Staff Sergeant (res.) Tamir Vaknin, 33, from Eilat and a fighter in the same battalion, were killed in the blast in the town of Majdal Zun. Four other reservist soldiers were injured and evacuated to Rambam Hospital in Haifa.

Initial investigations indicate the force entered a building in Majdal Zun around midday to conduct searches when the explosive device detonated. The IDF is examining the circumstances and considering the possibility that the bomb was an old device, with preliminary assessments suggesting it may not represent a direct violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Yaron Rosenthal, head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, mourned Birnstok, noting his deep ties to the area and extended condolences to his family and comrades in the Paratroopers Brigade. In a related incident, on the night between Friday and Saturday, an officer from the Egoz unit was moderately wounded in a clash with a Hezbollah militant in the Ali Taher ridge area of southern Lebanon; the militant was killed and the soldier was hospitalized.

Last week, the IDF reported a Hezbollah explosive drone attack on engineering forces in the same area, which caused no casualties but was described as a blatant ceasefire violation by Hezbollah. The IDF stated it continues operations in the region to prevent terrorist activities.

These incidents follow recent tensions after the U.S. announced a pilot program for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from three villages in southern Lebanon, accompanied by Lebanese Army deployment and Hezbollah disarmament efforts. Lebanese security sources warned of potential civil conflict due to political disagreements over the plan. The Lebanese Army accused the IDF of firing near its units in the pilot zone, which the IDF said was a warning shot against forces entering unauthorized areas.