Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Hezbollah gunman kills IDF Oketz dog, is shot dead by their handler
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
A Hezbollah gunman killed a dog of the IDF’s Oketz canine unit in the southern Lebanon town of Bint Jbeil yesterday, before being shot dead by their handler.
The military says troops of the 679th “Yiftah” Armored Brigade scanned a building in Bint Jbeil where last week a Hezbollah operative opened fire and seriously wounded a reservist with the unit.
During the scans yesterday, a Hezbollah operative opened fire from the building on the forces, the military says, killing the Oketz dog.
The dog’s handler, a female combat soldier operating with the reservists, returned fire and killed the gunman, according to the IDF.
No soldiers were injured in the incident.
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