Cleared for publication: Maj. (res.) Harel Birenstock and Sgt. Maj. (res.) Tamir Vaknin killed in southern Lebanon
Birenstock, a company commander in the 55th Paratroopers Brigade, and combat medic Vaknin were killed by an explosive device while scanning a booby-trapped building in Majdal Zoun, which is under IDF control. 4 other reservists were seriously wounded. It is not yet clear if the device was planted before or after the ceasefire. The IDF accused Hezbollah of a "flagrant violation" of the ceasefire and attacked in response.
Maj. (res.) Harel Birenstock (34) from Nokdim and Sgt. Maj. (res.) Tamir Vaknin (33) from Eilat, reservists in the 2855th Battalion of the 55th Paratroopers Brigade, were killed on Wednesday by an explosive device in the village of Majdal Zoun in southern Lebanon. This was cleared for publication this morning by the IDF Spokesperson. Birenstock served as commander of Company A, while Vaknin was a combat medic in the company. Four other soldiers were seriously wounded in the explosion.
The IDF accused Hezbollah of a "flagrant violation" of the ceasefire agreement and launched a wave of strikes in the area. The incident occurred around 12:00, during the battalion's operational activity to clear the village, which has been ongoing for months. Initially, a report was received about a backhoe that hit an explosive device, and later it turned out that the force had gone to scan a building that was booby-trapped. The four wounded soldiers were evacuated for medical treatment at Rambam Hospital in Haifa.
The village is located in the western sector of the security zone, south of the yellow line and in territory under IDF control. As of now, it is unclear whether the device was planted before the ceasefire agreement was announced or after it came into effect.
In response to the explosion, the IDF attacked terrorist infrastructure in the area, stating that the strikes were carried out "in response to a flagrant violation by Hezbollah." Among other things, warehouses where weapons were stored and operational apartments used by the terrorist organization were attacked. The IDF also attacked the village of Al-Mansouri after the IDF Arabic-language spokesperson, Lt. Col. Ella Waweya, published an urgent evacuation notice for residents, claiming that "Hezbollah's violation of the ceasefire forces the IDF to act against it with force."
The Lebanese Al-Mayadeen network, affiliated with Hezbollah, reported that Air Force fighter jets attacked the towns of Al-Mansouri and Burj ash-Shamali in the Tyre area. According to the report, three strikes were also carried out using UAVs in the Burj ash-Shamali area. At the same time, it was reported that the IDF fired artillery shells at the Ali al-Tahar ridge area.
However, the IDF strikes were, according to its statement, "targeted." It was published on Ynet last night that although the IDF insisted on responding with greater force, the political echelon blocked it, and for the time being, the army was required to settle for more pinpoint strikes. It is possible that in discussions on the matter with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an additional and harsher response will be approved later.
In Majdal Zoun, the IDF discovered during the war a large underground infrastructure and a military base for UAVs, nicknamed "The Fortress," which according to the army served as a staging ground for Hezbollah terrorists. Among other things, Iranian aircraft and a large quantity of explosives were found in the complex.
