Tamir Vaknin
Chief Master Sgt. (res.) Tamir Vaknin (1993–2026) was an IDF combat medic in the 55th Paratroopers Brigade who fell in combat in southern Lebanon in August 2026.
Chief Master Sgt. (res.) Tamir Vaknin, 33, was a dedicated reserve soldier and combat medic from Eilat who served in the 2855th Battalion of the 55th "Tip of the Spear" Paratroopers Brigade. Vaknin was killed in action on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, during operational activity in the village of Majdal Zoun in southern Lebanon. He fell alongside his company commander, Maj. (res.) Harel Birenstock, when a building they entered—which had been booby-trapped with high explosives by Hezbollah operatives—detonated and collapsed. The incident also left four other reservists from the unit seriously wounded.
Vaknin was a veteran combatant who had been serving in the reserves almost continuously since the outbreak of the war on October 7, 2023. His brother described him as the "heart of the company," a sentiment echoed by his fellow soldiers who relied on his skills as a medic and his presence as a pillar of the unit. His death, along with that of Maj. Birenstock, marked the first Israeli military fatalities in the northern sector since the June 2026 truce came into effect, highlighting the persistent threat posed by Hezbollah's subterranean and structural terror infrastructure.
Thousands of residents attended Vaknin's funeral in his hometown of Eilat on Thursday evening, August 6. During a heartbreaking eulogy, his father shared that he had felt a premonition of the tragedy, stating he had called his son repeatedly without answer shortly before receiving the official notification. President Isaac Herzog hailed Vaknin as a "hero of Israel," emphasizing the heavy price paid by reserve families who have sustained the nation's security through years of prolonged service. Vaknin is remembered as a professional medic and a devoted soldier who embodied the spirit of the Israeli reserve force.