Golani Brigade Soldier Liem Ben Hamo Killed Following Fatal Hezbollah Drone Strike in Southern Lebanon

19-year-old Golani soldier Liem Ben Hamo dies after a fatal Hezbollah drone strike in south Lebanon. One drone was intercepted, but a second proved lethal.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 30, 2026, 11:16 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Times of Israel

The Fatal Engagement in Qantara

Tragedy struck the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion today as a dual-drone offensive by Hezbollah forces resulted in the death of Sgt. Liem Ben Hamo. The 19-year-old soldier, originally from Herzliya, was stationed in the southern Lebanese village of Qantara when the strike occurred. According to military reports, the incident involved two separate explosive-laden drones launched in rapid succession toward the Israeli military positions. While one of the incoming aerial threats was successfully neutralized by defensive fire, the second drone bypassed interceptions and impacted in immediate proximity to the ground troops.

Casualties and Emergency Medical Response

The explosion from the second drone caused immediate fatal injuries to Ben Hamo, while a second soldier sustained moderate wounds from the blast and resulting shrapnel. Emergency medical teams were deployed under fire to evacuate the casualties from the impact zone for further treatment. The Israeli Defense Forces confirmed the identity of the fallen sergeant as part of the storied 13th Battalion, which has been heavily engaged in the ongoing northern operations. The wounded soldier remains under medical care as the military notifies the respective families of the day’s developments.

Hezbollah Claims Responsibility for Aerial Incursion

In the immediate aftermath of the strike, Hezbollah released an official statement claiming responsibility for the operation in Qantara. The militant group asserted that its drones had specifically targeted two Israeli main battle tanks operating within the village. However, the IDF’s internal assessment of the damage contradicts these claims, noting that the casualties were infantry forces rather than armor crews. This discrepancy underscores the frequent use of psychological warfare and inflated claims of hardware destruction by the Lebanon-based organization during active hostilities.