Corporal Nehorai Leizer, 19, Killed by Hezbollah Drone Strike in Southern Lebanon

A 19-year-old combat engineering soldier from Eilat was killed Sunday afternoon when a Hezbollah explosive drone struck his armored vehicle during an operation in southern Lebanon, the IDF announced this morning after notifying his family.

Corporal Nehorai Leizer served in the 601st Combat Engineering Battalion of the "Iron Tracks" (401st) Brigade. He was promoted posthumously from the rank of private first class to corporal.

A second soldier was seriously wounded in the same incident and was evacuated for medical treatment. His family has been notified.

According to initial details, the attack occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. Saturday near the Christian village of Dabl in southern Lebanon, close to Bint Jbeil and roughly five kilometers from the Israeli border. A Hezbollah explosive drone struck the upper section of a Nemera armored engineering vehicle, a combat engineering variant of the Merkava chassis, and detonated on impact. Laizer was killed by the blast and shrapnel.

His funeral will be held today, Monday, at 5:00 p.m. at the military section of the Eilat cemetery. The city will distribute Israeli flags at the cemetery entrance from 4:15 p.m.

The city of Eilat released a statement mourning his death. "Nehorai was among the finest sons of the city of Eilat, from a veteran Eilat family, the son of Rotem, a kindergarten teacher, and Lucian Lutchi of the Eilat municipality, and the younger brother of May and Roi."

The statement described him as a graduate of the Harei Eilat elementary school and the Goldwater high school, and noted he had been active in youth movements before completing a year of national service and enlisting in combat engineering.

"Nahorai, a hero of Israel, the salt of the earth, who fought with courage to defend the State of Israel. May his memory be a blessing."