Reservists in South Lebanon say medical support failures endangered lives

Reservists serving in southern Lebanon are warning of serious failures in the force’s medical support. A report aired Friday on Kan News, based on exclusive footage of a reserve soldier’s severe injury, highlighted claims of equipment shortages and staffing gaps that soldiers say could have cost lives.

The complaints emerged after three fighters were wounded during an operation in Maroun al-Ras on March 25, 2026. One reserve soldier was seriously hurt and two others, including the battalion commander, were lightly wounded after a barrage of six mortar shells struck the unit. All three were evacuated for treatment. According to soldiers and reserve personnel, the battalion went into the mission without a fully provided medical response, despite warnings raised for a long time before combat about the lack of a formal duty assignment for the battalion doctor, missing vital medical equipment, and no orderly preparation process for the medical team.

The soldiers also say some equipment arrived only shortly before the operation, and even then not everything needed was supplied. Among the missing items, they say, was plasma, a life-saving treatment for major blood loss. At the time, the doctor was the only medical provider supporting all forces in the sector.

The seriously wounded reservist is Yarden, a 40-year-old staff sergeant in the reserves and father of a four-year-old daughter. He has served about 920 reserve days since the war began. He says he has been in prolonged rehabilitation, has not worked since the start of the war, and his business collapsed. He is receiving psychiatric care, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. Yarden said he only recently understood the severity of the event after watching footage from his personal body camera, and believes the treatment he received in the field saved his life, though he said the doctor did not have all the required tools. The soldiers are now calling on the IDF to thoroughly examine the claims and the medical readiness of reserve units. The IDF said: “This is a complaint that has been submitted and is being checked and reviewed by all relevant parties.”