An IDF investigation into the Saturday incident that killed four Armored Corps soldiers, including 52nd Battalion commander Lt. Col. Dor Ben Simhon, indicates a combined Hezbollah attack — after anti-tank missiles struck the tank, an armed drone penetrated through the rear hatch and detonated inside the crew compartment, according to reporter Itai Blumenthal. The tank has not yet been recovered from southern Lebanon, delaying a more thorough probe.
An IDF investigation into the Saturday incident that killed four Armored Corps soldiers, including 52nd Battalion commander Lt. Col. Dor Ben Simhon, has revealed a more detailed sequence: Hezbollah first struck the tank with anti-tank guided missiles (likely Kornets), and then a weaponized drone carrying an anti-tank warhead entered through the rear hatch and detonated inside the crew compartment, according to reporter Itai Blumenthal. The tank has not yet been recovered from southern Lebanon, delaying a full forensic examination.
This update refines our prior understanding of the attack. As The Zioneer reported at Sat 23:00 Jerusalem, the initial probe had already described a combined Hezbollah assault involving anti-tank missiles and an armed drone. The new detail—that the drone specifically entered through the rear hatch after the ATGM strikes—was confirmed by military sources. The earlier report had not specified the drone's point of entry, nor the exact type of its payload. The IDF continues to state the explosion was not caused by a mechanical failure.
As The Zioneer earlier reported (Fri Jun 19, 09:58 Jerusalem), Hezbollah released footage claiming to show the anti-tank missile strike on the tank. The terror group later published a detailed operational account (Fri Jun 19, 16:51 Jerusalem) describing an ambush involving three Merkava tanks hit with ATGMs followed by artillery fire. The IDF has not officially responded to Hezbollah's full narrative. Separately, on Sat at 21:37 Jerusalem, the IDF cleared for publication the names of two of the four fallen soldiers: Staff Sgt. Yoav Klein (previously reported in the initial bulletin) and Staff Sgt. Nir Ben Ari. Two additional soldiers' identities remain under a publication ban.
The current incident is the deadliest single tank crew loss since the escalation in southern Lebanon. The tank remains in enemy territory, and the IDF assesses recovery operations in the coming days. The exact type of anti-tank warhead mounted on the drone and the drone's origin have not been confirmed in published IDF material.
3 developments
- Developing4 IDF soldiers killed in Hezbollah tunnel-ambush in south Lebanon; 147 rockets fired at Israeli troops
- StrongHezbollah releases detailed claim of responsibility for tank strike that killed 52nd Battalion commander
- StrongIDF besieges ~30 Hezbollah operatives in underground command center on Ali al-Taher ridge
- StrongHezbollah footage claims to show anti-tank missile strike on IDF tank that killed four soldiers
Source and signal
- Internal intake