Four IDF Soldiers Killed in Lebanon as Hezbollah Attacks Continue

Military officials said it cannot yet be determined whether the tank was hit by an explosive drone, an anti-tank missile, or another type of weapon.

By United with Israel Staff

Just hours after President Donald Trump publicly called for a “complete ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel,” four Israeli soldiers were killed and several others wounded in a deadly night of attacks in southern Lebanon.

The IDF announced Friday that Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Shimhon, commander of the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade, was killed in combat along with three other soldiers whose names have not yet been cleared for publication.

According to an initial military investigation, at approximately 12:20 a.m. a “suspicious aerial threat” struck a tank belonging to Battalion 52 operating near the village of Tebnit, north of the Beaufort Castle area. The exact nature of the strike remains under investigation.

Military officials said it cannot yet be determined whether the tank was hit by an explosive drone, an anti-tank missile, or another type of weapon. Investigators are also examining reports that drones may have targeted rescue forces responding to the incident.

The strike killed Ben Shimhon and three members of his tank crew.

Ben Shimhon had assumed command of Battalion 52 on April 20, 2026, roughly one week after the battalion’s previous commander was seriously wounded during fighting in southern Lebanon. A career officer who rose through the ranks of the 401st Brigade, he was married and the father of two daughters.

The attack marked one of the deadliest incidents for Israeli forces in Lebanon in recent weeks and came amid continued Hezbollah activity despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a broader regional ceasefire.

In a separate incident overnight, an IDF reserve officer was seriously wounded and four additional soldiers were lightly wounded when an explosive drone struck forces operating in southern Lebanon.

Following the attacks, the Israeli Air Force carried out extensive strikes against Hezbollah infrastructure in Nabatieh and other areas of southern Lebanon.