An IDF Oketz military working dog was killed during operations in southern Lebanon after a Hezbollah gunman opened fire from a building in Bint Jbeil, the military said Wednesday. The dog's handler, a female combat soldier, returned fire and killed the attacker. No Israeli soldiers were injured. The building is the same where a reserve soldier was severely wounded by a Hezbollah operative last week.
Wednesday's IDF report provides the military's official account of an incident that occurred during operations in the same Bint Jbeil building where a reserve soldier was severely wounded last Thursday. According to the IDF, troops from the 679th Armored Brigade were searching the building when a Hezbollah operative opened fire, killing an Oketz unit dog. The dog's handler, a female combat soldier, returned fire and eliminated the attacker. No Israeli soldiers were injured.
The Zioneer first reported the IDF's announcement at 07:24 Jerusalem. However, at 10:56 Jerusalem, soldiers from the same 679th Brigade told Kan News a contradictory account, stating that the terrorist was killed by troops of Battalion 8112 after a standoff, and not by the handler. The soldiers confirmed the dog's death and the handler's return fire without injury. The IDF has not addressed the discrepancy.
The building was the site of a close-quarters encounter last Thursday, as The Zioneer reported on July 3 at 06:00 Jerusalem, in which a reserve soldier was severely wounded and the Hezbollah operative escaped. The search for the operative had been ongoing.
The IDF's official statement does not clarify the contradiction between its account and the soldiers' version. The exact sequence of events remains under review.
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