IDF: Tank Disaster That Killed Battalion 52 Commander and Three Soldiers Was Caused by an Explosive Drone

The IDF said this evening (Sunday) that an initial investigation into the disaster in the village of Tebnit in southern Lebanon indicates that an explosive drone struck the tank in which Battalion 52 commander Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Shimon, of blessed memory, and three of his soldiers were killed: Staff Sgt. Naveh Havshush, of blessed memory, Staff Sgt. Yoav Klein, of blessed memory, and Staff Sgt. Liav Kabavia, of blessed memory. The IDF stressed that the review of the circumstances of the incident has not yet been completed, and that the operational investigation is still ongoing.

In a statement, the IDF Spokesperson said, "The information was conveyed to the families. The IDF shares in the families' grief and will continue to support them." It was also clarified that "the incident remains under investigation," and that the conclusions shared so far are based only on initial findings.

The incident took place on June 19, during operations by Armored Corps Battalion 52, which was operating as part of the Givati Brigade combat team in the village of Tebnit in southern Lebanon. When news of the disaster was first released, the IDF Spokesperson said that a "suspicious object" had hit the tank in which the soldiers were traveling. At the time, it was noted that it was not possible to determine definitively that it was an explosive drone strike, and the different possibilities were being examined במסגרת the operational investigation.