An Israeli naval soldier tragically lost his life on Sunday after sustaining shrapnel wounds during a clash with Hezbollah along the northern border with Lebanon, according to the Israeli military.
The soldier, identified as 21-year-old David Moshe Ben Shitrit, was among three individuals injured by an Iron Dome interceptor that struck his unit's boat. The Iron Dome is Israel's advanced air defense system designed to intercept and destroy incoming rockets and artillery shells.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the soldier's death was a result of either direct impact from the interceptor or from shrapnel caused by the interception. The circumstances surrounding his death are currently under review.
The Galilee Medical Center in northern Israel reported treating three young men with shrapnel injuries on Sunday morning, all of whom were affected by interception fragments in the Nahariya area. Despite efforts to save his life, the 21-year-old soldier was pronounced dead at the medical center.
This incident marks the first reported fatality on the Israeli side since the recent escalation of hostilities on Sunday. In southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Ministry of Health confirmed the deaths of three individuals in the clashes.
Hezbollah, the militant group based in Lebanon, acknowledged the loss of two of its fighters during the confrontations but did not disclose the specific location or circumstances of their deaths.
