Hezbollah Attack Kills IDF Soldier

Latest Developments

A Hezbollah attack killed a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on May 8 in northern Israel. “Staff Sgt. Haim Sabach, a 20-year-old infantry soldier from Holon, was killed by a mortar shell fired from Lebanon at a military post in the Malkiya area of the Upper Galilee, the IDF announced Thursday morning,” Israel’s Ynet reported. The attack took place the same day as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s visit to northern Israel, where he met with commanders of the IDF’s 91st Division, which is responsible for securing the Lebanon border. Gallant vowed to “restore security to the residents of the north” and warned that there could be an escalation in the north.

A separate Hezbollah drone attack killed two other Israeli soldiers on May 6 in northern Israel. Hezbollah has killed a total of 23 Israelis in the seven months of conflict since October 7. Hezbollah claimed in pro-Iranian Al-Mayadeen media on May 9 that an IDF strike killed four people on a road near Tyre in Lebanon.

Expert Analysis

“Hezbollah has been demonstrating a heightened brazenness over the past week — killing three Israeli soldiers in almost as many days. While the group is still overall pulling its punches, its willingness to draw blood from Israel may be tied to both the onset of Israeli operations in Rafah and American displeasure as a restraining factor on Israeli freedom of action.” — David Daoud, FDD Senior Fellow

“Hezbollah’s decision to keep its terrorists on the border and continue attacks on Israel illustrates that the Iranian-backed terrorist group is not deterred. The international community must support Israel’s demands that Hezbollah remove its terrorist forces from the border area.” — Seth J. Frantzman, FDD Adjunct Fellow

Hezbollah Reportedly Rejects Proposal to Remove Terrorists From Border

Hezbollah rejected a French proposal that would have seen it withdraw its terrorist forces 10 kilometers from Israel’s northern border, Israel’s Mako news website reported on May 9. According to the report, Hezbollah passed its answer to France in writing through the Amal movement, saying it refused to remove its elite Radwan force from the border area. Hezbollah also said it opposed an increase in the presence of the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the construction of observation towers for the Lebanese army in the border area of Lebanon.

Hezbollah increased attacks on Israel between May 5 and May 8, coinciding with Israel’s decision to launch an operation in eastern Rafah in Gaza. The group has increased its use of kamikaze drones in attacks, and pro-Iranian media highlighted Hezbollah’s “introducing” of drones to the conflict in the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.