IDF names soldier killed in southern Lebanon drone strike
Staff Sgt. Adam Tzarfati, 20, of Rosh Haayin, was killed when an explosive-laden drone struck troops in southern Lebanon, the military said. His death brings the number of Israeli soldiers killed in the current round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah to 26
Staff Sgt. Adam Tzarfati, 20, of Rosh Haayin, was killed when an explosive-laden drone struck troops in southern Lebanon, the military said. His death brings the number of Israeli soldiers killed in the current round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah to 26
An Israeli flag and a Golani Brigade flag fly at the Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, as seen from Israel, on Sunday.Credit: Amir Cohen / Reuters
An Israeli flag and a Golani Brigade flag fly at the Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, as seen from Israel, on Sunday.Credit: Amir Cohen / Reuters
09:24 AM • June 01 2026 IDT
An Israeli soldier was killed and three others were wounded when an explosive-laden drone struck troops in southern Lebanon overnight, the military said Monday, marking the latest fatality in the current round of fighting along Israel's northern border.
Adam Tzarfati.Credit: IDF Spokesperson's UnitAdam Tzarfati.Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit
The soldier was identified as Sgt. Adam Tzarfati, 20, of Rosh Haayin, a commando in the Maglan reconnaissance unit. The military said one of the wounded soldiers was in serious condition and two others sustained minor injuries. They were evacuated to a hospital for treatment and their families were notified.
Tzarfati's death brings the number of Israeli soldiers killed in the current round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah to 26. Four civilians were also killed since the escalation began on March 2.
On Saturday, Staff Sgt. Michael Tyukin, 21, of Ashkelon, was killed in a drone strike in southern Lebanon, the army said, adding that four other soldiers were wounded in the same incident. Tyukin immigrated to Israel from Ukraine in 2020 with his mother and was her only son.
Hezbollah has employed small drones controlled with fiber-optic cables the width of dental floss that avoid electronic detection against Israeli forces in the latest round of fighting. These drones – used widely in the war in Ukraine – are small, hard to track and lethal.
Fiber-optic drones are not piloted via GPS signals or radio control. They have a thin cable spooling out behind them that connects the operator's console directly to the drone, making it impossible to jam electronically.