IDF Says Four Soldiers Killed in South Lebanon, Including 52nd Battalion Commander

The IDF said on Friday morning that four soldiers were killed overnight in combat in southern Lebanon. Among the dead was Lt. Col. Dor Gidalia Ben Simhon, commander of the 52nd Battalion in the 401st Armored Brigade. The names of the other three fallen soldiers have not yet been cleared for publication.

According to the military, the incident took place around 12:20 a.m. in the village of Tbinin, when an airborne threat launched by Hezbollah struck a tank belonging to the force. After the strike, the army carried out attacks on militants and terror infrastructure in the Nabatieh area. The IDF said it is still investigating the incident.

Since the ceasefire declared in April, 23 soldiers have been killed in Lebanon. Earlier on Friday, Hezbollah confirmed overnight strikes in southern Lebanon and said they were carried out after repeated violations of the ceasefire by what it called the terrorist organization Hezbollah.

The announcement came a day after it was cleared for publication that reserve Master Sgt. Alexander Filin was killed in southern Lebanon when an explosive device detonated in the village of al-Taybeh, and seven other soldiers were wounded. Initial findings indicate the device was planted by Hezbollah militants, and the army is now trying to determine when it was placed. One of the wounded was the deputy commander of Division 36. On Wednesday, an explosive drone detonated near a tank from the Givati Brigade combat team, wounding five soldiers, including one seriously and two moderately. A second explosive drone then hit an evacuation vehicle, after which another IDF soldier was evacuated by helicopter. The army responded with artillery fire at Hezbollah terror infrastructure in southern Lebanon.