Two IDF Reservists Killed, Four Seriously Wounded In Southern Lebanon Blast

The IDF has cleared for publication the names of two reserve soldiers killed during combat operations in southern Lebanon on Wednesday.

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The fallen soldiers have been identified as Chief Master Sgt. (Res.) Tamir Vaknin, 33, of Eilat, a combat soldier in the same battalion and Maj. (Res.) Harel Birenstock, 34, of Nordic, who served as a company commander in the 2855th Battalion of the 55th Brigade,

The incident also left four additional IDF reservists seriously wounded. All were evacuated by military medical teams to hospitals for treatment, and their families have been informed.

According to the IDF’s preliminary investigation, the troops were operating around midday in the village of Majdal Zoun as part of a mission to locate and destroy Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure. As forces entered a building slated for demolition, a powerful explosion occurred inside, killing the two reservists and seriously injuring four others.

Following the deadly blast, the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes against Hezbollah targets in the surrounding area as the military continued its operations in southern Lebanon.

The circumstances surrounding the explosion remain under investigation.

The deaths of Birenstock and Vaknin bring renewed attention to the dangers faced by Israeli reserve forces operating against Hezbollah’s entrenched infrastructure along the northern border.

May their memories be a blessing.