Israeli Commander Killed in Hezbollah Drone Attack Weeks Before Wedding

Darwin, 17 May : An Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) platoon commander was killed in a Hezbollah explosive drone attack in southern Lebanon, despite the recent extension of the ceasefire agreement by another 45 days. Clashes between Israel and Hezbollah have continued along the border even during the truce period.

The slain officer was identified as Captain Maoz Israel Rekanati, 24, a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade’s 12th Battalion. He was a resident of Itamar in the occupied West Bank.

According to The Times of Israel, the Israeli military confirmed his death on Saturday evening.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that Rekanati was scheduled to get married next month. “In this difficult time, we stand with his fiancée Rani and his family,” Netanyahu said.

The report added that Rekanati is the seventh Israeli soldier killed in southern Lebanon since the first phase of the ceasefire came into effect on April 16. Since the conflict began, a total of 20 IDF personnel and one civilian contractor have reportedly been killed. Hezbollah, however, claims Israel does not fully disclose its military casualties.

The IDF also stated that several Hezbollah drones targeting Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon were intercepted. Warning sirens were activated in several border communities in the Western Galilee due to the drone threat.

At the same time, Hezbollah launched rockets and mortar shells toward Israeli forces stationed in southern Lebanon. The IDF said no casualties were reported from those attacks.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced that it struck around 100 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon over the weekend. The targets reportedly included surveillance posts, weapons depots, and infrastructure used for launching attacks.

Lebanon’s state news agency NNA reported that at least two dozen villages came under Israeli airstrikes on Saturday, including areas nearly 50 kilometers from the border. The attacks forced many residents to flee toward the southern city of Sidon and the capital Beirut for safety.

Hezbollah has opposed ongoing talks between Lebanon and Israel regarding a permanent ceasefire, accusing the Lebanese government of making “free concessions to the enemy.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the extension of the ceasefire and urged all parties to respect the agreement.