An Israel Defense Forces soldier was killed fighting Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon on Saturday night, the military announced on Sunday morning.
IDF Staff Sgt. Michael Tyukin, 21, from the southern city of Ashkelon, served in the Givati Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit, according to a statement.
According to the Hebrew-language Ynet news outlet, Tyukin was killed when a Hezbollah drone hit a group of Israeli troops. Four other soldiers sustained light injuries in the incident, the IDF said.
The total death toll among Israeli troops since the start of the War of Redemption—which was triggered by the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border massacre—now stands at 950, according to official IDF data. Tyukin is the 13th IDF soldier to be killed by Hezbollah since a shaky ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon went into effect on April 17.
The unmanned aerial vehicle was reportedly launched by Hezbollah around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday and struck soldiers near the village of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, where forces are attempting to secure areas north of the Litani River.
Tyukin was his mother’s only child, Ynet reported. He and his mother were said to have immigrated to the Jewish state from Ukraine in 2020.
Iranian-backed Hezbollah renewed its rocket and drone attacks on Israel on March 2, following the targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the opening stages of “Operation Roaring Lion” on Feb. 28.
In response, Israel launched a broad aerial campaign against Hezbollah targets and expanded military operations in Southern Lebanon aimed at preventing cross-border attacks on Israeli communities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 26 accused Hezbollah of “essentially disintegrating” the fragile truce, which was extended for another 45 days earlier this month.
“Therefore, as far as we are concerned, what obligates us is the security of Israel, the security of our soldiers, and the security of our communities,” the prime minister said. “We are acting vigorously according to the rules we agreed upon with the United States, and incidentally, with Lebanon as well.”
