The IDF said Thursday morning that four reserve soldiers were seriously wounded in the same incident that killed Maj. Harel Birenstock and Chief Master Sgt. Tamir Vaknin. The soldiers were evacuated for medical treatment and their families have been notified. The update follows the IDF's earlier announcement at 00:10 naming the two fallen soldiers.
The IDF confirmed Thursday morning, Aug 6, that four reserve soldiers were seriously wounded in the same incident that killed Maj. (res.) Harel Birenstock and Chief Master Sgt. (res.) Tamir Vaknin in southern Lebanon. The soldiers were evacuated to a hospital for treatment and their families have been notified. The confirmation of the severity of their injuries — which the IDF's initial announcement Thursday at 00:11 Jerusalem had noted as wounded without specifying their condition — now provides a fuller picture of the toll.
At 00:11 Jerusalem, the IDF cleared for publication the names of the two fallen reservists from the 55th Paratroopers Reserve Brigade: Maj. Harel Birenstock, 34, a company commander from Nokdim in Judea, and Chief Master Sgt. Tamir Vaknin, 33, a combat medic from Eilat. The military reported that the two were killed and four others wounded when an explosive device detonated as their unit entered a building during a clearing operation in the village of Majdal Zoun in southern Lebanon. The initial reports, published at 00:11 Jerusalem, detailed that the incident occurred around 12:00 on Wednesday, Aug 5, and that the building was booby-trapped. The IDF has since confirmed that the four wounded soldiers are in serious condition — a development that earlier reports had not specified.
This incident marks the second fatal IED blast in the sector within 24 hours, as The Zioneer reported on an earlier strike. The IDF has characterized the attack as a ceasefire violation by Hezbollah operatives remaining in the area, and Israeli forces have responded with targeted strikes against terror infrastructure. The clearing operations in southern Lebanon continue amid ongoing efforts to neutralize threats following the ceasefire agreement.
An investigation into the circumstances of the blast is ongoing, including whether the explosives were placed before or after the ceasefire took effect. The IDF has not yet released further details on the condition of the wounded soldiers or the timeline for their recovery.
9 developments
- DevelopingNames released of two IDF soldiers wounded by explosive device in Jenin this morning
- StrongIDF says one soldier killed, seven wounded by Hezbollah IED in southern Lebanon; Filin named, injuries detailed
- ConfirmedIDF: Five soldiers wounded in second Hezbollah drone strike near Kfar Tebnit overnight
- StrongPresident Herzog mourns two fallen soldiers, hails them as 'heroes of Israel'
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