VIDEO – Lives of 24 Israel Defense Forces soldiers claimed on 32nd day of fighting in Lebanon : Nineteen IDF soldiers were killed in ground operations on Saturday, the 32nd of fighting in Lebanon. Another 85 troops were injured, 12 of them sustained serious wounds. A lieutenant colonel is among the wounded.
Five aircrew members who are currently missing are assumed to be dead, after their helicopter was shot down by Hizbullah Saturday.
The names of 24 of the casualties were cleared for publication:
Captain Shai Bernshtein, 24, from Beer Sheva
Staff Sergeant Ido Garbovsky, 20, of Rosh Ain
Corporal Yaar Ben Giat, 19, of Nahsholim
Sergeant Yosef Abitbul, 19, of Gan Ner
Sergeant Yehonatan Ankonina, 21, of Netanya
Staff Sergeant Tzachi Krispas, 20, of Kibbutz Hamaapil
Staff Sergeant Itai Steinberger, 21, of Karmei Yosef
Sergeant Yaniv Temerson, 21, of Tzipori
Corporal Tumer Amer, 19, of Julis
Staff Sergeant Ami Meshoulami, 20, of Ofra
Sergeant Yoan Zarbibi, 22, of Tel Aviv
Captain Bnaya Rayan, 27, of Karnei Shomron
Staff Sergeant Adam Goran, 21, of Kibbutz Maabarot
Sergeant Alexander Bonimovitch, 19, of Nataniya
Staff Sergeant Oz Tzemach, 20, of Macabin Raot
- Sergeant Haran Lev, 20, of Kibbutz Maayan Baruch
- Sergeant Dan Broyer, 19, of Beit Hilel
- Corporal Yigal Nisan, 19, of Maale Adumim
- Staff Sergeant Uri Grossman, 20, of Mevaseret Tzion
- The five air force personnel killed Saturday night in Lebanon are:
- Maj. Ami Ben-Naim, 29, from Rehovot
- Maj. (res) Nisan Shilo, 36, from Kibbutz Avrun
- Capt. Daniel Gomez, 25, from Nahalim; Sergeant First Class (res)
- Sergeant Major Ron Mashiah, 33, from Gadera
- Sergeant First Class Keren Tendler, 26, from Rehovot
- The name of the reserve soldier who had been killed on Friday in the village of Rashaf in Lebanon has also been cleared for publication: Sergeant Major Aharon Yehezkel, 32, from Kfar Yedidya.
- At least 40 terrorists were killed by IDF fire during the day, in which many forces were landed into southern Lebanon in the greatest landing operation in the IDF's history.
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- Four IDF soldiers were killed by an explosive device that was activated against the tank they were driving in the village of al-Tieri in the central sector. Additionally, an officer and three combatants were killed by an antitank in the village of Hirbet Kseif in the eastern sector.
- Two soldiers of Golani's Battalion 51 were killed and two were seriously and lightly injured in an operation accident in the village of Hadata in the eastern region. The IDF is looking into the possibility that a tank crew reversed and accidentally hit the soldiers.
- A soldier of the Nahal's Battalion 931 was killed, five soldiers were seriously wounded and others were lightly wounded in exchanges of fire in the village of Randouria on the western region. Another two soldiers were killed in other incidents in the area during exchanges of fire.
- A soldier was killed in exchanges of fire in the village of Hadata on the eastern region.
- A soldier was seriously wounded after a military vehicle was bombed by an explosive device in the village of al-Teiri on the central region.
- Anti-tank missiles were a key tool used against the IDF, claiming lives of soldiers.
Three fighters of the Armor Corps' Battalion 9 were killed after an anti-tank missile hit a Merkava tank in which they were riding in Wadi Sluki on the eastern region. This is the second time the IDF's most modern tank is hit during the fighting.
A fighter of the Nahal Brigade was killed after being hit by an anti-tank missile fired at a building in the eastern region near the village of Randouria.
A soldier was killed as an anti-tank missile hit the tank he was riding in near the village of Kantara in the eastern region.
A soldier was seriously wounded by an anti-tank missile in the village of al-Tieri.
- An IDF officer was seriously wounded and another two soldiers were lightly hurt after an anti-tank missile hit a tank in the village of Dir Yassin in the eastern region.
- An IDF soldier was seriously wounded after being hit by an anti-tank missile in a building in the village of Randouria in the eastern region.
- Expanded operation launched (Photo: Abir Sultan, Defense Ministry)
- Some 85 Israel Defense Forces soldiers arrived at hospitals Saturday after they were injured in a series of fire incidents in southern Lebanon. About 35 were taken to the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, 33 were hospitalized in the Ziv Medical Center in Safed, and another six were rushed to the Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya.
Another 10 injured arrived at the Rambam Medical Center on Saturday evening.
Chopper shot down
The difficult day ended with another serious incident: An Israel Defense Forces Yasur helicopter crashed Saturday evening on Lebanese territory. IDF officials estimated that a missile fired by Hizbullah terrorists at the helicopter, apparently an anti-tank missile, caused it to crash.
The five aircrew members are missing and assumed dead.
Official sources in Lebanon claimed that Hizbullah brought down the helicopter. Hizbullah claimed that its people shot down the helicopter with a Waad missile.
Irsael Air Force Commander Eliezer Shkedy noted on Saturday evening that he appreciates the courage and decisiveness of the fighters operating in Lebanon, both on the ground and on the air, and instructed the Air Force to continue to operate in all the missions while supporting and helping the forces operating in Lebanon as much as required.
A senior Air Force officer referred to the incident: "The helicopter was hit by a missile fired at it, hit the ground and caught fire. Helicopters are fired at a lot in all regions. The operations we are doing are dangerous, but there are also successes."
"The place where the incident occurred is under our control. But in spite of the incident, we are continuing with our operations as usual, providing forces and rescuing the injured," he said.
First published: 20:14, 08.12.6