Two IDF reservists were killed and four others seriously wounded on Wednesday when an explosive device detonated inside a booby-trapped house in the village of Majdal Zoun in southern Lebanon, according to military reports. The IDF identified the fallen as Maj. (res.) Harel Birenstock, 34, from Nokdim, and Sgt. Maj. (res.) Tamir Vaknin, 33, from Eilat. The incident marked the first Israeli combat deaths in the sector since the June ceasefire with Hezbollah.
Two IDF reservists were killed and four others seriously wounded on Wednesday, August 5, when an explosive device detonated inside a booby-trapped house in the village of Majdal Zoun in southern Lebanon, according to the military. The soldiers were conducting a search operation when the building collapsed on them.
The IDF cleared the names for publication on Thursday morning: Maj. (res.) Harel Birenstock, 34, from Nokdim, a company commander in the 2855th Battalion, 55th Brigade, and Sgt. Maj. (res.) Tamir Vaknin, 33, from Eilat, a combat soldier in the same battalion.
The incident was the first fatal attack on Israeli forces in the southern Lebanon sector since the June ceasefire with Hezbollah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz convened a high-level security discussion Wednesday evening at 21:00 to discuss the situation and potential response, with Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and other senior officials attending. According to reports, the military requested authorization for a 'sensitive operation' against Hezbollah.
The attack was attributed to an explosive device planted by Hezbollah operatives, a tactic that has become a primary threat to IDF units operating in the sector. Following the incident, the IDF struck a series of Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, including weapons depots and command centers.
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