A 71-year-old Israeli researcher and a soldier were killed Wednesday during an exchange of fire with Hezbollah operatives in South Lebanon, after entering the area without the required authorizations. In a separate incident, a reservist lost his life after a damaged building collapsed. According to the IDF’s preliminary investigation, Golani Brigade Chief of Staff Colonel Yoav Yarom authorized researcher Zeev Erlich to enter the western sector of South Lebanon to examine an ancient fortress. Despite the belief that the area was secure, two Hezbollah fighters in ambush opened fire on the group.
“Zeev has contributed significantly to the country’s security. Senior officers have helped him over the years to analyze and understand the region and its importance for ongoing operations,” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on X.
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu added that Erlich was “a 71-year-old man with the energy of a 17-year-old.” “He had a story for each stone, a Bible in one pocket, a map in the other,” he said.
In the separate incident, Sergeant First Class (Res.) Eitan Ben Ami, 22, of the Maglan commando unit, was killed when a building previously damaged by Israeli strikes collapsed. According to the IDF, the collapse was due to difficult weather conditions.
Since October 8, 2023, 71 IDF soldiers and reservists have died in cross-border skirmishes and during the ground operation launched in South Lebanon at the end of September. Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel caused the deaths of 44 civilians and led to the evacuation of 60,000 residents of border communities.
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