A Defense Ministry civilian contractor was killed and another wounded in a Hezbollah drone strike in Southern Lebanon on Tuesday, as the Iran-backed terrorist organization continued to target Israeli personnel operating across the border.
The victim, identified as Amer Hujirat, 44, from the northern Arab city of Shfaram, was operating heavy engineering equipment in the Aitaroun area near Bint Jbeil as part of efforts to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure, military sources said.
According to military reports, an explosives-laden first-person view (FPV) drone struck the vehicle directly, killing Hujirat. His 19-year-old son, who was working for the same engineering firm under a Defense Ministry contract, was lightly wounded by shrapnel and transported to Ziv Medical Center in Safed, where he was listed in stable condition.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it targeted an Israeli engineering vehicle with a suicide drone.
The incident underscores the group’s growing reliance on low-cost, high-impact UAVs to bypass traditional defenses and strike operational forces on the ground.
The Israel Defense Forces said Hujirat’s family was notified by police, adding that despite operating in a combat zone, civilian contractors killed in such incidents are not recognized as fallen soldiers.
“The IDF and Defense Ministry extend their condolences to the family,” the military said.
Two IDF soldiers were wounded, one seriously, by a Hezbollah drone in Southern Lebanon on Monday.
The IDF struck multiple Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites in several areas of Southern Lebanon on Tuesday, “north of the forward defense line,” the military said on Wednesday.
Targets included launchers loaded and ready for firing, weapons depots and military structures used by Hezbollah operatives to advance attack plans against IDF troops and the State of Israel.
In a separate incident, troops from the 146th Division identified three Hezbollah terrorists preparing a shooting attack against Israeli forces. The Israeli Air Force struck and eliminated them shortly after they were detected, the IDF said.
In several incidents throughout the day on Tuesday, Hezbollah launched multiple explosive drones that detonated near IDF troops operating in Southern Lebanon, south of the forward defense line.
As a result, one IDF soldier was lightly wounded and evacuated to the hospital for medical treatment. His family was notified, the military said.
The IDF said it will continue to operate against threats to Israeli civilians and IDF forces, in accordance with directives from the political leadership.
The action comes amid heightened tensions along Israel’s northern border, where the IDF has continued operations to dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure despite a fragile ceasefire environment.
Sgt. Idan Fooks, 19, was killed and six other soldiers were wounded in a Hezbollah explosive drone strike in Southern Lebanon on Sunday, the military said. Fooks was the third Israeli soldier to be killed in Southern Lebanon since a ceasefire went into effect on April 17 and the first to be killed in a direct Hezbollah attack during the truce, according to the IDF.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a recent video statement that he had ordered a “special operation” to counter the growing threat of Hezbollah FPV drones. “It will take time, but we will take care of that,” he said.
On April 16, Jerusalem and Beirut agreed to a 10-day ceasefire following mediation by U.S. President Donald Trump. Last week, the two countries agreed to extend the ceasefire for three more weeks following historic direct talks in Washington, D.C.
