Female Israeli Soldier Kills Hezbollah Gunman After Dog Is Shot

Israeli reservist forces killed a Hezbollah militant during search-and-clearance operations in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon, on Tuesday, after the gunman opened fire on troops at close range from concealment inside a building. No Israeli soldiers were wounded in the incident.

The operation was conducted by fighters of the 679th Reserve Brigade — known as "Formation Yiftach" — operating under Division 91 within the Bint Jbeil security zone. The troops had returned deliberately to sweep the same structure where a serious incident had occurred the previous Thursday, in which a reservist soldier sustained serious wounds.

As the forces moved through the building, a Hezbollah operative broke from concealment and opened fire at close range, triggering an immediate close-quarters exchange within the structure.

A dog from the IDF's Oketz canine unit, deployed ahead of the troops to detect concealed threats, was killed during the exchange. The female soldier handling the dog advanced toward the threat, engaged the militant, and neutralized him at close range — an act of composure and resolve under fire in an enclosed and high-risk environment.

The IDF confirmed no further casualties among its forces and commended the soldier's conduct under fire. In an official statement, the military said it would continue operating to eliminate every threat to its forces in the field, and would not permit the Hezbollah terror organization to harm Israeli civilians or soldiers.

The Bint Jbeil area has been the scene of repeated Israeli ground operations in recent weeks as part of sustained activity across southern Lebanon. The deliberate return to a building where troops had previously come under attack reflects standard IDF doctrine of conducting follow-up clearance sweeps at sites where prior enemy contact has occurred — ensuring no threat is left unaddressed.