IDF reserve soldier killed, 7 others wounded by Hezbollah explosive in southern Lebanon

An IDF reservist soldier was killed, and seven others were wounded, including senior officers, by a Hezbollah explosive device in southern Lebanon yesterday afternoon, the military announces.

The slain soldier is named as Master Sgt. (res.) Alexander Filin, 29, a combat soldier with the 36th Division’s headquarters, from Haifa.

At around 5 p.m., the deputy commander of the 36th Division, his forward command team, and other soldiers were walking along the Litani River when they were hit by a blast.

The deputy division commander, with the rank of colonel; a battalion commander in the 556th Transport Regiment, a reservist officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel; and another reservist were moderately injured.

In addition, a combat soldier, two combat reservists, and a servicewoman were lightly injured in the explosion.

The IDF says the soldiers were all taken to hospitals and their families were notified.

An initial IDF probe suggests the blast was a Hezbollah explosive device, but further details are under investigation.

Following the incident, the IDF says it carried out artillery shelling on Hezbollah infrastructure in the area.