Senior Golani Commander Injured in Hezbollah Ambush

By Al Mayadeen English

The chief-of-staff of the infamous Golani Brigade, a company commander, and a "researcher" fell casualty to a Hezbollah ambush in an archeological site.

Senior Golani commander injured in Hezbollah ambush

A Hezbollah elite fighter steps on a flag of the Israeli occupation forces' Golani Brigade during a drill simulating a raid on an Israeli military site. (Islamic Resistance in Lebanon)

The chief-of-staff of the 1st Infantry Golani Brigade, of the Israeli occupation forces, was wounded after being confronted by Hezbollah Resistance fighters in a village in South Lebanon, on Wednesday morning. 

The Israeli military command said that Colonel Yoav Yarom was injured in a close-quarters gun battle in a Lebanese village. Yarom had entered an archeological site in a Lebanese village alongside a former officer and geological researcher in southern Lebanon. 

According to Israeli media outlets, the researcher, Zeev Erlich, 71, had requested to visit an unnamed archaeological site in an area in southern Lebanon. However, Yarom, Erlich, and a number of Golani troops were ambushed by two Hezbollah fighters inside the archeological site. 

Erlich's entry into southern Lebanon had not been authorized by the Israeli military command and the wounded senior officer is currently under investigation for accompanying Erlich into the site. 

Hezbollah fighters who ambushed the Israeli convoy were able to kill Erlich, who was in full military attire, alongside a soldier from the Golani Brigade whose identity has not been revealed. The village was said to be in the Western Axis of confrontation, however, the Israeli military command has not revealed the exact location of the ambush. 

Moreover, a company commander from the Golani Brigade's 13th Battalion was seriously injured in the same incident. Although the incident remains under investigation, the Israeli military command has recognized Erlich as a fallen soldier, naming him Major Zeev Erlich in an official statement. 

Builing's mysterious collapse kills elite Israeli soldier

In another incident, the Israeli military command admitted to the death of an Israeli soldier who served in the elite Magalan Unit. The soldier was killed after a house in eastern southern Lebanon collapsed over him and other troops. 

Earlier, Israeli media reported that 5 soldiers were killed and 6 others were injured after a building with occupation forces inside was blown up in South Lebanon. According to Israeli media, a force from the Israeli army's Maglan unit fell into an ambush by Hezbollah in South Lebanon, with the evacuation operation was carried out with difficulty.

The Israeli Ministry of Health confirmed that 84 new casualties have been reported since its last update on Tuesday, with 38 cases in the northern region over the past 24 hours. The Ministry also noted that the total number of troops hospitalized in "Israel" since October 10, 2023, has reached 22,482.

Although the Israeli military command says that 45 Israeli troops have been killed in southern Lebanon during the ground invasion, Hezbollah says that it confirmed the death of 110 Israeli troops in direct confrontations.