Initial details from the intense combat in southern Lebanon early Wednesday revealed that Egoz commandos stormed a building to engage Hezbollah terrorists at close range, aiming to prevent any potential abduction.
At the same time, Israeli air forces targeted vehicles from Hezbollah's Radwan unit, which were approaching the site—likely in an attempt to capture the fallen soldier's body.
Shortly after the initial clash inside the building where the battle began, one of the fallen soldiers was lying near surviving Hezbollah terrorists. Fearing the body might be taken, the soldiers quickly encircled the building.
The fallen soldier’s comrades stormed the building, engaging in close combat with the terrorists. Meanwhile, Egoz Unit's drone team identified reinforcement vehicles from the Radwan unit approaching, possibly to seize the body and escape. The vehicles were struck by air, and the terrorists inside were neutralized.
For years, Israeli forces have trained for combat scenarios in Lebanon, including the threat of soldier abductions, especially during preparations for ground operations. Hezbollah has long viewed abductions as a potential strategic achievement in its battles with Israel.
Consequently, specific guidelines were given to the soldiers, outlining how to respond to such scenarios under all circumstances—both during advances and in direct combat with terrorists. These procedures were thoroughly tested by IDF "red teams" tasked with simulating abductions during Lebanon-related drills.
In Wednesday's Egoz battle, weather conditions were harsh, with heavy fog and complete darkness. The Israeli Air Force bombarded nearby routes and buildings, including a mosque where some of the terrorists had fled. The mosque was destroyed, with at least 30 terrorists killed in the strike. Around 30 Israeli soldiers were wounded in the battle, and at least four injured soldiers continued to fight.
The fallen Egoz soldiers are Captain Harel Etinger, 23, from Eli, and Captain Eitan Itzhak Oster, 22, from Modi'in Maccabim Re'ut, both served as squad commanders in the elite Egoz Unit of the Commando Brigade; Sergeant First Class Noam Barzilay, 22, from Kokhav Ya'ir Tzur Yigal, Sergeant First Class Or Mantzur, 21, from Beit Aryeh-Ofarim, and Sergeant First Class Nazaar Itkin, 21, from Kiryat Ata, all soldiers in the Egoz Unit; Captain Itai Ariel Giat, 23, from Shoham, an officer in the Yahalom Unit of the Combat Engineering Corps.
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