Four Israeli Soldiers Killed in Southern Lebanon, Including 52nd Battalion Commander

Four IDF soldiers were killed overnight in combat in southern Lebanon, the military said Thursday morning after lifting a gag order. Among the dead was Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Shimhon, commander of the 52nd Battalion in the 401st Armored Brigade. The names of the other three were still not cleared for publication.

The incident took place around 12:20 a.m. in the village of Tebnine. According to the report, an aerial target launched by Hezbollah struck a tank belonging to the force. After that, Israel carried out strikes on militants and terror infrastructure in the Nabatieh area. The IDF said it is still investigating the event.

Since the ceasefire was declared in April, 23 soldiers have been killed in Lebanon, according to the report. Hezbollah later confirmed overnight attacks across southern Lebanon and said they were carried out after what it described as repeated violations of the ceasefire by the terrorist organization.

The publication came a day after the military announced that Reserve Master Sgt. Alexander Filin was killed in southern Lebanon when an explosive device detonated in the village of al-Taybeh, wounding seven other soldiers. Preliminary findings suggest Hezbollah operatives planted the device, and the IDF is still trying to determine when it was placed. Two days earlier, a drone carrying explosives blew up near a tank from the Givati Brigade’s combat team, wounding five soldiers, including one seriously and two moderately, and then another explosive drone hit the evacuation vehicle, prompting an artillery response against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.