Name of fourth fallen soldier divulged
Slain soldier is Staff Sergeant Liran Sa'adia, 21, of Kiryat Shmona. His parents received the news while abroad
On Saturday, two days after the exchange of fire in Maroun al-Ras that claimed the lives of four soldiers, the name of the fourth was finally released to the press. The three other soldiers killed in the skirmish were Major Benji Hillman, 27, of Raanana, Staff Sergeant Rafanel Muskal, 21, of Mazkeret Batya, and Staff Sergeant Nadav Balua, 21, of Carmiel.
Liran's parents were in Thailand, celebrating his father's fiftieth birthday, when they received the tragic news. The soldier's grandparents, who live in Kiryat Shmona, but are staying in Hadera due to the security situation in the north, received the news from IDF sources. Liran's brother, who currently resides in the US, made his way back to Israel.
Friends and neighbors who had decided to stay in the northern town came to visit at the Sa'adia home. Eli Sabtai, a family friend, described Liran as a good person, quiet and special: "He was an excellent student, a brilliant boy who studied at the local college while still in high school. Always smiling. Nice to everyone. Basketball was his life." A neighbor added that Liran was only months away from completing his military service.
The battle in Maroun al-Ras saw some of the heaviest fighting thus far in the confrontation. During the course of the battle, a mortar landed in the midst of the IDF force, injuring most of the soldiers. In addition to the mortar and heavy barrages of gunfire, the soldiers were also forced to evacuate the wounded and dead under fire.
Prior to the incident, IDF forces took out a number of terrorists in the village, which has turned into a Hizbullah stronghold over the years. "There were many weapons there: missiles, rockets, mortars, all kinds of things," said a senior officer. "The terrorists turned the population there into a human bullet-proof vest," he added.
"Sadly, this war will result in injuries and deaths. We cannot promise otherwise. We regret any casualties, but already anticipate that there will be more. We have a strong military that must fight this terror organization that threatens Israel's safety," he concluded.
Miri Chason contributed to the report
