Tel Aviv, March 26: An Israeli soldier has been killed in ongoing gunfire in Lebanon. The death of Sergeant Ori Greenberg, a member of the Golani Brigade, has been confirmed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his sorrow over the incident. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that 21-year-old Sergeant Greenberg, from Petah Tikva, was martyred during a direct ground operation in southern Lebanon on Thursday morning.
According to IDF sources, the incident began around 2:10 AM when a group of at least five Hezbollah terrorists opened fire on the Golani Brigade operating in the Galilee Finger area under Division 36.
Prime Minister Netanyahu stated, “My wife and I, along with all citizens of Israel, share in the deep sorrow of the family of Sergeant Ori Greenberg, a fighter from the Golani Brigade Reconnaissance Unit, who will always be remembered for his sacrifice in the battle in southern Lebanon.”
Sergeant Greenberg was critically injured during the encounter. He was quickly evacuated from the battlefield and received first aid before being transported to the hospital. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Gunfire continued into the morning, with IDF ground forces successfully eliminating several enemy combatants, while the Israeli Air Force provided close support to secure the area. Preparations are underway to clear the area for further operations.
Previously, contact between the Israeli army and Hezbollah was limited to capturing two militants and targeting anti-tank squads with airstrikes and artillery.
In separate incidents, another Israeli soldier was seriously injured in a mortar attack on Wednesday, with several others sustaining minor injuries, including an officer involved in a friendly-fire incident. During the ongoing operation, fifteen soldiers were also treated for suspected hypothermia.
This escalation comes at a time when Israel is considering mobilizing up to 400,000 reservists to intensify ground operations in Lebanon.