Amer Hujeirat, an Israeli civilian earthworks contractor working on a Defense Ministry project, was killed Tuesday during IDF and security forces’ operations in southern Lebanon, the military said.
Hujeirat, a resident of the northern city of Shfar’am, was killed when an enemy explosive-laden FPV drone struck the engineering vehicle he was operating in the Bint Jbeil area. His 19-year-old son, who works for the same company, was lightly wounded by shrapnel in the attack.
Ziv Medical Center in Safed said the son was treated in the trauma room by a multidisciplinary team. His physical condition was listed as light, but he was suffering from symptoms of shock and acute emotional distress following the incident.
The hospital’s social services department accompanied the wounded man and his family, providing support and assistance. He was released home after receiving treatment and being stabilized.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said five people were killed in an Israeli strike on the village of Majdal Zoun in the Tyre area, including three civil defense medical personnel who were trapped under the rubble during a rescue mission.
The Lebanese army said two of its soldiers were wounded in an Israeli strike targeting a military patrol, and said Lebanese forces were working to rescue civilians.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strike, calling it the latest in a series of attacks targeting aid and rescue workers. A post on Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s X account called the strike on civil defense personnel “while carrying out their humanitarian duty” a “war crime committed by Israel.”
“This is a blatant violation of the principles and rules of international humanitarian law,” the post said. “The government will spare no effort to condemn this heinous crime in international forums and will mobilize all efforts to force Israel to stop its continued violations of the ceasefire agreement. I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the dead and to members of the Civil Defense. We wish the wounded a speedy recovery.”
Meanwhile, sirens sounded in Kiryat Shmona warning of a suspected drone infiltration from Lebanon. No damage or casualties were reported.
Earlier this week, Sgt. Idan Fooks, 19, of Petah Tikva, a soldier in the 7th Armored Brigade's 77th Battalion, was killed by an FPV drone in combat in southern Lebanon. An officer and three soldiers were seriously wounded in the incident, while another soldier was moderately wounded and one more was lightly wounded.
In the same incident, two additional explosive-laden drones were launched at IDF forces near the village of Taybeh. One was intercepted, while the other exploded near the troops during the evacuation of the wounded, causing no casualties.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing a forum of senior IDF commanders on Monday, referred to the campaign against Hezbollah and said the military faces what he called “two problems” against the terrorist group: its missile threat and its drone threat. If those “problems” are resolved, he said, it would also be possible to “resolve the diplomatic side,” a possible hint at a future peace agreement with Lebanon.