IDF identifies Staff Sgt. Tuval Yosef Lifshitz, 20, killed in southern Lebanon firefight

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit this evening (Wednesday) cleared for publication the name of the fallen IDF soldier.

Name of the fallen: Staff Sgt. Tuval Yosef Lifshitz, 20, from Beit She'an, a combat soldier in the 13th Battalion of the Golani Brigade. HY"D.

He is the 12th IDF fatality since the start of the current ground maneuver in southern Lebanon, and the 937th since the outbreak of the "Swords of Iron" war.

According to the IDF, a force from the 13th Battalion's combat team, operating under the 7th Brigade's combat team, identified several terrorists in the area where the IDF is operating in southeastern Lebanon. An exchange of fire ensued, during which Staff Sgt. Lifshitz was killed; a combat officer was severely wounded, and four other IDF soldiers were wounded to varying degrees. The forces were operating under Division 36 in the A-Taybeh area in eastern southern Lebanon.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: "Our hearts are with the family of the heroic Golani fighter, Staff Sgt. Tuval Yosef Lifshitz, z"l, who fell in battle in southern Lebanon. My wife and I, together with all the citizens of Israel, send our condolences to Tuval's family, z"l, and share in their profound grief. We pray for the swift and full recovery of our fighters who were wounded in the same encounter, after they bravely fought Hezbollah terrorists. We will continue to act with full force to remove the threat to the residents of the north. May Tuval's memory, z"l, be blessed and cherished forever".