Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday sent condolences to the family of Capt. David Hazut, a Golani Brigade platoon commander killed in combat in southern Lebanon, praising his courage and dedication to defending the state. Hazut's death was previously reported; Katz's statement adds a senior security official's tribute.
Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday issued a formal eulogy for Capt. David Hazut, 21, a Golani Brigade platoon commander killed in combat in southern Lebanon. In a statement published at 14:56 Jerusalem, Katz said Hazut led his soldiers in the mission of defending Israel and its northern residents, acted with courage and dedication, and embraced the family on behalf of the defense establishment "in their difficult hour."
The tribute is the latest in a string of official reactions reported throughout Sunday. The IDF first confirmed the death of a Golani soldier in a Hezbollah encounter near Deir Siryan around 02:00 (published at 12:38 Jerusalem, version 1 of the thread); within minutes the officer was named as Capt. David Hazut (12:38, version 2). Subsequent thread updates at 12:38 provided the full operational account — a clash in which a Hezbollah operative opened fire, a soldier was lightly wounded, the attacker fled, and Israeli forces responded with artillery. National Security Minister Ben Gvir offered condolences at 13:04 Jerusalem (published as version 6 of the thread, and independently restated in the context). Katz's statement, published at 14:56, adds the head of the defense establishment's eulogy. Across the thread, the source of the initial report — an IDF military announcement — was corroborated by multiple Israeli news outlets and later by formal ministerial statements, moving from a single military confirmation to multi-source official acknowledgment.
As The Zioneer reported earlier this week, Katz has previously eulogized other fallen soldiers in the same southern Lebanon theater: reservist Alexander Filin (June 18) and Lt. Col. Dor Ben Simhon along with three soldiers (June 19). Prime Minister Netanyahu also issued tributes to four soldiers killed on June 21 and to reservist Basil Sweid on June 25. The IDF continues operations against Hezbollah targets in the security zone.
No new details about the specific incident that killed Hazut have emerged beyond the initial IDF account. The search for the Hezbollah operative who opened fire remains ongoing, and the lightly wounded soldier's condition has not been updated.
6 developments
- StrongDefense Minister Katz eulogizes fallen 52nd Battalion commander and three soldiers in Lebanon
- DevelopingNetanyahu eulogizes four fallen soldiers killed in southern Lebanon combat
- DevelopingPM Netanyahu: 'Nation's heart aches' after four soldiers killed in Lebanon
- StrongNetanyahu, Katz reject cabinet criticism of Lebanon ceasefire limits after Beit Yahoun attack
Source and signal
- Internal intake