Sirens ring out across Israel at 11 a.m., bringing the country to a standstill for two minutes to mark Memorial Day.
The siren marks the beginning of the state memorial ceremony at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem, as well as other memorial events across the country.
Since last Memorial Day, 174 members of Israel’s security forces have been killed during their service, according to fresh figures released by the Defense Ministry.
That includes two soldiers who were killed over the weekend by Hezbollah explosive devices in southern Lebanon.
Another 54 veterans died due to complications from injuries sustained during their service over the past year.
The annual figures include all soldiers, police, and members of other security services who died in the past year, whether in the line of duty, or as a result of an accident, illness, or suicide.
The numbers bring the total to 25,648 who have died during service to the country since 1860, the year from which Israel, and, before it, the Jewish community in the region began counting its fallen soldiers and defenders.
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From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
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