Reserve soldiers from the 679th Brigade reported that they killed a Hezbollah operative and captured another during a clash in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon. The troops said the three-man cell had been hiding in the ruins for weeks. The account contradicts the IDF spokesperson's earlier claim that a female Oketz soldier was responsible for the kill.
Troops from the 679th Reserve Armored Brigade reported Wednesday that they killed a Hezbollah operative and captured another during a close-quarters encounter in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon. The soldiers stated that the three-man cell had been hiding beneath the rubble of the devastated town for weeks; a third cell member was killed in a separate clash last week. The account adds new detail to a rapidly evolving story that saw the IDF initially attribute the kill to a female Oketz dog handler, then face a contradiction from troops on the ground, and ultimately acknowledge an error.
Earlier today, the IDF's first statement at 07:30 Jerusalem reported that a female Oketz soldier had eliminated a terrorist and that the Oketz dog was killed. Within the same hour, soldiers from the 679th Brigade told Kan News that the terrorist was actually killed by a soldier from Battalion 8112 after a standoff, and that the dog was killed by the terrorist's fire. By 11:12 Jerusalem, the IDF spokesperson acknowledged the error, stating that the terrorist was killed by a soldier from the 679th Brigade after negotiations, and that the incident is under investigation. The Zioneer reported on the acknowledgment at 11:12.
The 679th Brigade has been operating in the Bint Jbeil area for several weeks. As The Zioneer reported on Friday, July 3, a reserve soldier from the brigade was severely wounded in a close-quarters encounter with a Hezbollah operative in the same town. The gunman remained at large at the time. The current cell may have been tied to that earlier incident, though the military has not confirmed a connection.
It remains unclear whether the captured Hezbollah operative has been transferred to Israeli territory for interrogation, and what intelligence he may have provided. The third cell member killed last week has not been publicly identified.
5 developments
- DevelopingIDF investigates Bint Jbeil killing after troops dispute initial account
- ConfirmedIDF eliminates Hezbollah operative near troops in Al-Manzala area
- DevelopingTwo Hezbollah operatives killed in southern Lebanon, single report says
- DevelopingIDF eliminates Hezbollah operatives threatening troops at Ali al-Taher Ridge
Source and signal
- Internal intake