Hezbollah published an overnight operational account claiming responsibility for the anti-tank guided missile strike that killed four IDF soldiers including the 52nd Battalion commander near Nabatieh. The group says it hit three Merkava tanks with ATGMs, then shelled the force with artillery, forcing the IDF to abort an advance toward the Ali al-Taher ridge. The IDF has not responded to the claim.
Hezbollah's detailed battle account, released at 16:50 Friday, frames the overnight incident near Nabatieh as a deliberate ambush of an advancing Israeli force. According to the group, the IDF's Armored Platoon and a Mechanized Infantry Platoon attempted to advance toward the Ali al-Taher ridge when Hezbollah struck three Merkava tanks with anti-tank guided missiles and continued with artillery fire on the force and its reinforcements, claiming the operation ended in an Israeli failure to advance.
Earlier at 14:38, The Zioneer reported that the IDF had confirmed four soldiers killed, including the 52nd Battalion commander Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, in a blast caused by a drone or anti-tank missile hitting their tank in Kfar Tebnit. Hezbollah's version adds tactical context but remains unverified by the IDF, which has not directly commented on the claim.
The IDF had earlier Friday struck over 80 Hezbollah targets across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley in response to the attack. Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz designated the Hezbollah action as a ceasefire violation and ordered the military to strike forcefully. The last 30 minutes have seen continued reports of IDF strikes in southern Lebanon.
3 developments
- StrongIDF says it eliminated dozens of Hezbollah operatives in over 100 strikes, accuses Hezbollah of ceasefire violations
- DevelopingHezbollah claims anti-tank missile fire at IDF tanks above Nabatieh
- StrongHezbollah footage claims to show anti-tank missile strike on IDF tank that killed four soldiers
- StrongNetanyahu, Katz define Hezbollah attacks on IDF troops in southern Lebanon as ceasefire violations, ordering massive strikes
Source and signal
- Internal intake