Important Notice: Reading on PHOENIX? Click “Read Original” to Access the Full Story..
According to a report by the Times of Israel on Friday June 19, 2026, an IDF tank battalion commander and three other soldiers were killed overnight in a Hezbollah attack in southern Lebanon, the military confirmed on Friday.
The officer has been identified as Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, 32, who commanded the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade and was from Beit HaShita. The names of the three additional soldiers have not yet been released and are expected to be published later.
According to the initial IDF assessment, a suspected drone or anti-tank missile struck the commander’s tank in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Tebnit shortly after midnight. The force of the explosion killed all four crew members inside.
The military says it is still investigating exactly what caused the blast.
Ben Simhon had only recently taken command of the battalion, replacing his predecessor who was severely wounded in southern Lebanon in April.
