Liach Kbabia laid to rest in Kfar Saba after deadly tank incident in southern Lebanon

The funeral of Staff Sgt. Liach Kbabia, from Hod Hasharon, was held today, Sunday, at the cemetery in Kfar Saba. Kbabia was a tank crewman in Battalion 52 and was killed in the battalion commander’s tank incident in southern Lebanon.

The army is still investigating how the tank was hit in the operation, which took place late Thursday night into Friday, near midnight. The leading suspicions are that it was struck by a explosive drone, an anti-tank missile, or a roadside explosive device planted in the area. The entire crew was killed in the incident.

Along with Kbabia, the dead were the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Dor Ben Shimon, Sgt. Yuav Klein of Herzliya, and another soldier, identified in the article as Habbush. Kbabia was 20 years old.

Hod Hasharon municipality said it was mourning the loss of a local resident and described Kbabia as a tank driver in Battalion 52 of the 401st Armored Brigade, known as “Iron Trails.” It also said he was a 2024 graduate of the cinema track at Mosinson High School. The city sent condolences to his parents, Michal and Dudi, his sister Alona, his brother Guy, and the wider family, saying, “We will never forget. May his memory be blessed.”