The IDF cleared for publication the name of Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, 32, commander of the 52nd Battalion (401st Armored Brigade), who fell in combat in southern Lebanon, according to the military. Separately, a reserve officer was severely wounded and four NCOs lightly wounded by a Hezbollah explosive drone in another incident in southern Lebanon, according to reports from the area.
The IDF permitted publication Friday morning at 09:32 Jerusalem time of the name of Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, 32, commander of the 52nd Battalion (401st Armored Brigade), who was killed in combat in southern Lebanon. Separately, a reserve officer was severely wounded and four NCOs lightly wounded when a Hezbollah explosive drone struck an IDF position in the same theater, according to reports from the area. The drone attack highlights the persistent threat of loitering munitions even after months of ground operations. The IDF has not yet released an official statement on the drone strike.
As The Zioneer reported at 09:45 Jerusalem on Friday, the battalion commander's death occurred overnight when a suspicious projectile struck his tank in the village of Tibnit, southern Lebanon, according to a military-affiliated channel. Three additional soldiers were killed in the same incident; their names have not yet been released. Ben Simhon assumed command of the 52nd Battalion two months ago after his predecessor was wounded in battle. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. The initial thread version, also published at 09:45 Jerusalem, noted that the attack triggered extensive Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon and that talks in Switzerland were reportedly canceled as a result — a detail that has not been independently confirmed.
The wider operational picture, as The Zioneer has reported, includes a sustained IDF ground campaign in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah infrastructure. Over the past several weeks, the military has struck more than 70 Hezbollah sites in a 24-hour period (reported Sunday, June 14) and eliminated multiple field commanders. At least two other IDF soldiers were killed and several wounded on Thursday (June 18) in a separate IED attack, as The Zioneer reported.
It remains unclear whether the separate drone incident that wounded the reserve officer and four NCOs is part of a coordinated Hezbollah response or a localized attack. The Israeli military has not confirmed whether it will release additional details on the tactical circumstances of either incident. The names of the three soldiers killed alongside Ben Simhon have not yet been cleared for publication.
8 developments
- StrongDefense Minister Katz eulogizes fallen 52nd Battalion commander and three soldiers in Lebanon
- DevelopingPM Netanyahu: 'Nation's heart aches' after four soldiers killed in Lebanon
- StrongIDF names fourth soldier killed alongside 52nd Battalion commander in southern Lebanon
- StrongIDF appoints fifth acting commander for 52nd Battalion since war began
Source and signal
- Internal intake