A soldier was killed in combat on Sunday in southern Lebanon, the Israeli army announced.
Sergeant Nehoray Leizer, 19, from Eilat, was a fighter in the 601st brigade of the Military Engineering Corps (in Hebrew: Handassa Kravit).
He was killed by an explosive drone, according to Israeli media.
Another soldier was seriously injured during this attack.
The events took place around 3:30 p.m., near the Christian village of Debel, in the Bint Jbeil district.
In a message posted on social media, the mother of the fallen soldier, Rotem David-Leizer, wrote: “They tore out my heart. Why? Why? My God, why?”
His sister wrote: “My little brother. My whole world. My heart stopped beating at the same time as yours. HAS”
Leizer is expected to be buried on Monday at 5 p.m. in the military section of the Eilat cemetery.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid tribute to Leizer in a statement: “This wonderful young man from the city of Eilat fought heroically and defended, at the risk of his life, our northern border against the terrorist organization Hezbollah. HAS”
Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on the social network X: “Nehoray, a son of the city of Eilat, was one of the best among us. From a young age, he was imbued with Zionism and a sense of mission, first as a member of youth movements, then during his year of service, after which he continued to serve as a combat soldier. HAS”
Leizer is the tenth IDF soldier to have been killed in southern Lebanon since the start of the ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite terrorist group Hezbollah, which has largely broken down since its announcement last month.
He is the twenty-third soldier to have lost his life since Hezbollah attacked Israel on March 2, in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran, following American-Israeli strikes in Iran. A civilian contractor was also killed in southern Lebanon.
The ongoing fighting has caused numerous casualties, particularly due to first-person view (FPV) drones, increasingly used by the Lebanese Shiite terrorist group.
The latest wave of fighting in Lebanon has left more than 3,000 dead, the Lebanese Health Ministry said last week.
Several hundred of these victims are believed to have been killed following the fragile ceasefire negotiated by the United States, which, while it helped to reduce the fighting, did not put an end to it.
These figures do not distinguish between civilians and terrorists, although sources close to Hezbollah indicated that some of its terrorists were not taken into account in the Lebanese Ministry of Health’s assessment.
The Israeli army said it had killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah terrorists, including hundreds from its elite unit, the Radwan Force, since hostilities began escalating in the war against the Iranian regime.
During the fighting in Lebanon, Hezbollah fired some 5,500 rockets at IDF soldiers operating in the south of the country, as well as nearly 2,500 into Israel, according to the army.
At least 75 rocket impact sites have been recorded in Israel. In addition, Hezbollah launched around 300 drones, 25 of which reached Israel, according to the IDF.
Leizer’s death on Sunday comes as the United States and Iran say they are close to finalizing a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending fighting in the conflict that began in late February. Israeli officials are reportedly concerned that it also includes a clause announcing an end to fighting in Lebanon.
In this context of concern, early Sunday morning, Netanyahu indicated on X that American President Donald Trump, during a telephone call, had “reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against threats on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”
Later in the day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said: “If Hezbollah launches missiles or launches against them, Israel has every right to respond to it or prevent it from happening.” It has always been understood that way. This is what is understood during the ceasefire. HAS”
