2 IDF Soldiers Killed by Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon — First Ground KIAs of Lebanon Campaign

Two IDF soldiers were killed in a Hezbollah attack in southern Lebanon near the Manara border crossing on Day 9. The IDF named Sgt. First Class Maher Khatar, 38, a heavy machinery operator in the 91st Galilee Regional Division's combat engineering unit, from Majdal Shams. The second soldier's name was withheld pending family notification. According to the IDF's preliminary investigation, the incident began when a Puma armoured personnel carrier became stuck during operations in the area. The IDF dispatched another Puma APC and two D9 armoured bulldozers to extract it. One of the D9s was struck by a projectile — likely an anti-tank missile or mortar — causing a fire that killed both soldiers. One officer was lightly injured. The incident is under further investigation. The deaths represent the first confirmed IDF ground fatalities in Lebanon in this war and highlight the operational risks of the intensifying Hezbollah front. The IDF had previously focused on air operations in Lebanon; the Manara incident confirms ground forces are operating in southern Lebanon with real combat exposure. Hezbollah has killed the IDF's D9 armoured bulldozers — specifically designed for high-threat engineering work — signalling its anti-armour capability remains effective despite 200+ operatives killed this week.