The Israeli military confirmed the deaths of Barak Kalfon, 48, and Lidor Porat, 31. Both were reservists serving in combat units and were part of ongoing operations against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon.
Kalfon, a father of two daughters, was killed when his unit was searching a building and a booby trap detonated.
Porat was killed when a military vehicle drove over a hidden explosive device. Nine other soldiers were wounded in the blast, some of them seriously.
Booby traps instead of a front line
The operations in southern Lebanon do not resemble conventional battlefield fighting. There are hardly any clear front lines. Instead, Israeli soldiers operate in villages, homes, and narrow stretches of terrain where booby traps and hidden weapons pose a constant danger.
The deadly explosive that killed Kalfon had been concealed inside a building. The explosion occurred as the soldiers entered the house—a typical Hezbollah pattern, with buildings deliberately rigged in advance.
The same strategy was evident in the case of Porat. The explosive device was positioned to hit a vehicle—a method that is especially difficult to detect and prevent.
War in the shadows—and without pause
The current situation in Lebanon remains tense, even as diplomats speak of ceasefires or de-escalation. On the ground, the reality looks very different.
The fighting often takes the form of guerrilla warfare: small units, hidden positions, and pre-planted explosives. Even after official ceasefires, incidents and attacks continue.
Israeli units are still operating deep in southern Lebanon to uncover Hezbollah weapons depots, tunnels, and infrastructure. At the same time, the organization is trying to use such attacks to slow the advance and inflict casualties.
Two names, two lives
Behind the dry military announcements are two real lives:
Barak Kalfon, 48, was from the community of Adi in northern Israel and served as an experienced reservist in the 226th Brigade. He was married and is survived by his wife and two daughters. Kalfon was killed while his unit was searching a building in southern Lebanon. He was among the first soldiers to enter the house when a Hezbollah-planted booby trap exploded.
Lidor Porat, 31, from Ashdod, served as a reservist in Battalion 7106 of the 769th Brigade. He was killed when a military vehicle ran over a hidden explosive device. The blast not only killed him, but also wounded nine additional soldiers, some seriously.
The number of Israeli soldiers killed since October 7, 2023 has now risen to 940, one day before the start of Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror, which begins tomorrow evening.
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