President Isaac Herzog expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of two IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon, calling them 'heroes of Israel.' The President extended condolences to the families of Maj. Harel Birnstock and Chief Master Sgt. Tamir Vaknin, who were killed in combat.
President Isaac Herzog addressed the nation on Thursday afternoon, expressing deep sorrow over the deaths of two IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon and calling them "heroes of Israel." The President's statement is the latest in a series of official reactions following the incident, which occurred on Wednesday when a Hezbollah explosive device detonated in a building in the village of Majdal Zoun, killing Maj. Harel Birnstock and Chief Master Sgt. Tamir Vaknin, both of the 55th Paratroopers Reserve Brigade.
The IDF cleared the names of the fallen for publication early Thursday morning, as The Zioneer reported (published at 00:10 Jerusalem). Later that morning, Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a statement mourning the soldiers and wishing a full recovery to the four reservists seriously wounded in the same incident. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also eulogized the two, calling them "among the best of our sons." President Herzog's tribute now adds a further layer of national mourning.
Maj. Birnstock, 34, was a company commander from the community of Nokdim in Judea and Samaria, and is survived by his wife and children. Chief Master Sgt. Vaknin, 33, was a combat medic from Eilat. The incident occurred during a period of a ceasefire agreement, which the IDF characterized as a violation by Hezbollah operatives. Israeli forces responded with strikes on Hezbollah targets, as The Zioneer has reported in earlier coverage.
The circumstances of the explosive device—whether it was placed before or after the ceasefire took effect—remain under investigation.
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