From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 17, 2024
IDF announces deaths of five soldiers killed fighting in south Lebanon
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
The IDF releases the names of five soldiers from the Golani Brigade’s reconnaissance unit who were killed in southern Lebanon: Company Commander Maj. Ofek Bachar, 24, from Nes Ziona; Team Commander Cpt. Elad Siman Tov, 23, from Tzofim; Squad leader Staff Sgt. Elyashiv Eitan Wieder, 22, from Jerusalem; Staff Sgt. Yakov Hillel, 21, from Jerusalem; and Staff Sgt. Yehudah Dror Yahalom, 21, from Hebron.
Another officer and two soldiers were seriously injured in the incident.
A number of other soldiers were seriously hurt in battles in southern Lebanon.
In one incident, an officer and two combat engineers from the Etzioni Brigade’s 8173rd Battalion were seriously injured, as was another soldier from the battalion’s logistical unit. The injuries came from an anti-tank missile attack.
A soldier from the 12th Battalion of the Golani Brigade was also seriously hurt in a firefight with Hezbollah fighters.
In the southern Gaza Strip, a soldier from the 450th Battalion of the Bislamach Brigade, the same battalion that killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, was also seriously injured in a battle with terrorists.
The injured were brought to hospitals, and the families of the killed and injured were all updated, says the IDF.
