Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife mourned the deaths of two reserve soldiers killed in combat in southern Lebanon, sending condolences to their families and wishing a speedy recovery to the wounded. The fallen were identified as Major Harel Birnstock and Chief Master Sergeant Tamir Vaknin, according to the PM's statement.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife issued a statement Thursday mourning the deaths of two reserve soldiers, Maj. (res.) Harel Birnstock and Chief Master Sgt. (res.) Tamir Vaknin, who fell in combat in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu said that 'together with all citizens of Israel, my wife and I mourn their fall' and described the two as 'among the best of our sons, brave fighters who reported for reserve duty and fought with courage.' The statement, released around 12:46 Jerusalem, came after the IDF cleared the soldiers' names for publication earlier Thursday morning.
The two were killed on Wednesday, August 5, when a Hezbollah explosive device was detonated as their force entered a building in the village of Majdal Zoun in southern Lebanon. The IDF reported that four other reserve soldiers were seriously wounded in the same incident, which the military characterized as a ceasefire violation. Israeli forces responded with strikes on Hezbollah targets. The deaths are the first Israeli military fatalities in the southern Lebanon sector since the June ceasefire, as The Zioneer has reported.
Both soldiers served in the 55th Paratroopers Reserve Brigade. Birnstock, 34, a resident of Nokdim in Gush Etzion, was a company commander. Vaknin, 33, a resident of Eilat, served as a combat medic. Defense Minister Israel Katz also eulogized the two, stating that they 'reported for reserve duty time and again with commitment and dedication.' The Gush Etzion Regional Council confirmed Birnstock's death and highlighted his role in the community.
The circumstances of the incident remain under investigation, including the question of whether the explosive device was placed before or after the ceasefire took effect. The prime minister's statement did not include new details regarding the operational situation or any planned Israeli response.
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