The commander of the IDF's 52nd Battalion (401st Armored Brigade) sent a morale letter to troops Sunday evening, describing the battalion's heavy toll — three battalion commanders wounded or killed in two years — and affirming resilience. 'We are proud to fight and know what we are fighting for,' he wrote, emphasizing the mission's importance in dismantling Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
The message, sent Sunday evening by the 52nd Battalion's commander (whose name was not explicitly stated in the source), is the latest in a series of morale-building communications following the battalion's heavy losses. The letter comes after Lt. Col. Dor Ben-Shimhon — the battalion's fourth commander in two years — was killed in combat in southern Lebanon last week, along with three soldiers, as The Zioneer reported Friday.
The commander wrote that the battalion has been fighting for nearly three consecutive years. 'Within two years, three battalion commanders were wounded, and Dor Ben-Shimhon, who was killed in action, was the fourth commander of the battalion in two years,' he said, adding that many soldiers and reservists have been wounded multiple times and returned to fight each time.
The battalion, part of the 401st 'Iron Tracks' Armored Brigade, has been engaged in high-intensity operations to dismantle Hezbollah's strategic infrastructure in southern Lebanon. The commander expressed confidence in the mission and urged the home front to draw strength from the troops' spirit. He emphasized that even after nearly three years of war, the battalion remains resolute and proud of its mission.
The letter did not indicate whether the commander is the deputy commander who issued a similar message earlier Sunday (reported at 12:45 Jerusalem time), or a different officer. The focus was on morale rather than operational details.
2 developments
- StrongHezbollah releases detailed claim of responsibility for tank strike that killed 52nd Battalion commander
- StrongDefense Minister Katz eulogizes fallen 52nd Battalion commander and three soldiers in Lebanon
- StrongPresident Herzog: Four soldiers killed in Lebanon combat including 52nd Battalion commander
- DevelopingField commander sends morale message via journalist Yinon Magal, praising IDF troops' sacrifice
Source and signal
- Internal intake