The IDF has appointed the deputy commander of the 401st Brigade, Lt. Col. N., as acting commander of the 52nd Battalion following the death of Lt. Col. Dor Ben Simhon in southern Lebanon on Friday, Israeli military sources report. He will serve temporarily until a permanent replacement—the battalion’s fifth commander since the war began—is named.
The IDF has named the deputy commander of the 401st Armored Brigade, Lt. Col. N., as the temporary acting commander of the 52nd Battalion, following the death of Lt. Col. Dor Ben Simhon in action in southern Lebanon on Friday. As The Zioneer reported earlier Saturday, the battalion's previous commander fell while leading a mission to destroy strategic Hezbollah underground infrastructure near Beaufort Castle. The new appointee, whose full name remains withheld for security reasons, will lead the frontline unit until a permanent commander is formally selected — making him the fifth officer to command the battalion since the war began.
The appointment reflects the heavy toll the conflict has taken on the IDF's armored corps. Lt. Col. Ben Simhon, 31 at the time of his death, had previously served as an aide to Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Uri Gordin, who eulogized him as 'like a son.' The 52nd Battalion, part of the 401st 'Iron Tracks' Brigade, has been engaged in high-intensity operations to dismantle Hezbollah's underground network in southern Lebanon, a mission that has resulted in multiple casualties among command staff. The specific timeline for a permanent appointment has not been disclosed.
2 developments
- StrongPresident Herzog: Four soldiers killed in Lebanon combat including 52nd Battalion commander
- StrongIDF details 52nd Battalion's Beaufort mission in final tribute to commander Ben Simhon
- StrongDefense Minister Katz eulogizes fallen 52nd Battalion commander and three soldiers in Lebanon
- StrongIDF announces soldier from Maglan unit killed in southern Lebanon
Source and signal
- Internal intake