{"id":92584,"date":"2026-05-17T21:25:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T02:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/?p=92584"},"modified":"2026-05-17T21:26:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T02:26:48","slug":"israeli-soldier-slain-in-hezbollah-drone-attack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/israeli-soldier-slain-in-hezbollah-drone-attack\/","title":{"rendered":"Israeli soldier slain in Hezbollah drone attack"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"Page-articleBody\">\n<div class=\"RichTextArticleBody RichTextBody\">\n<div>By JNS STAFF<\/div>\n<div>&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"ArticlePage-dateAndSource\">(JNS.org)&nbsp; \u2013 An Israel Defense Forces soldier was mortally wounded in a Hezbollah drone strike in Southern Lebanon, the military confirmed on Saturday night.<\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_92585\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Recanti.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-92585\" class=\"wp-image-92585 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Recanti-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Recanti-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Recanti-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Recanti.webp 1000w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/169;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-92585\" class=\"wp-image-92585 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Recanti-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Recanti-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Recanti-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Recanti.webp 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-92585\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Slain Israel Defense Forces Capt. Maoz Israel Recanati, 24, from the Samaria town of Itamar. Credit: IDF Spokesperson\u2019s Unit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Capt. Maoz Israel Recanati, 24, from the Samaria town of Itamar, served as a platoon commander in the 12th Battalion of the Golani Infantry Brigade.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaoz was a member of the Recanati family, among the founders of Itamar, and like them, he was a courageous fighter and officer,\u201d his hometown said in a statement. \u201cItamar embraces his parents, his siblings, and his fianc\u00e9e during this difficult time. May we be comforted in the rebuilding of Jerusalem.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Recanati was engaged to Rani Leah Kellerman, who studied at a religious seminary in Itamar, and was set to marry her on June 18, according to&nbsp;<i>Ynet<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>The total death toll among Israeli troops since the start of the War of Redemption\u2014which was triggered by the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border massacre\u2014now stands at 945.<\/p>\n<p>Recanati is the 20th Israeli soldier slain in Lebanon since the launch of \u201cOperation Roaring Lion\u201d on Feb. 28 and the seventh since the start of the ceasefire around a month ago,&nbsp;<i>Ynet<\/i>&nbsp;reported.<\/p>\n<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, in a statement sent their \u201cheartfelt condolences to the family of Maoz, of blessed memory, a heroic fighter who courageously led his soldiers against our enemies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaoz was due to marry his fianc\u00e9e, Rani, in about a month, and we all embrace her and his loved ones during this difficult hour,\u201d they added. \u201cMay his memory be blessed and cherished in our hearts forever.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Defense Minister Israel Katz said Recanati was an \u201cadmired commander\u2014brave and devoted to his soldiers\u2014who led from the front with responsibility, personal example and love of the land.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHis death, shortly before he was due to build a home and marry the woman he loved, is heartbreaking and underscores the unbearable price paid by the best of our sons in the struggle for Israel\u2019s security,\u201d the minister continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy heart is with his family, his fianc\u00e9e, his comrades-in-arms and the soldiers of the IDF, who continue to fight courageously in Southern Lebanon to protect the northern communities and remove the threat hanging over Israeli civilians,\u201d Katz said.<\/p>\n<p>Hezbollah began firing rockets and drones at Israel on March 2, after the Jewish state\u2019s targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the Iranian-backed terrorist organization\u2019s violation of the U.S.-brokered Nov. 27, 2024, truce agreement, Jerusalem launched an aerial campaign against Hezbollah and ordered the IDF to advance and take control of additional areas in Southern Lebanon to halt cross-border attacks.<\/p>\n<p>Jerusalem and Beirut on April 16 agreed to a 10-day ceasefire following mediation by U.S. President Donald Trump. The two countries on April 23 agreed to extend the truce for three more weeks following historic direct talks in Washington, D.C. A&nbsp;<span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jns.org\/news\/u-s-news\/highly-productive-israel-lebanon-talks-will-be-split-into-political-security-tracks-state-department-says\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-cms-ai=\"0\">third round<\/a><\/span>&nbsp;of talks on Friday led to the truce being extended for another 45 days.<\/p>\n<p>However, Netanyahu on April 26 accused Hezbollah of \u201cessentially disintegrating\u201d the ceasefire through its incessant terrorist attacks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTherefore, 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,\u201d the premier said. \u201cWe are acting vigorously according to the rules we agreed upon with the United States, and incidentally, with Lebanon as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In several incidents on Friday and Saturday, Hezbollah terrorists fired explosive drones, mortar shells and rockets at IDF troops in Southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n<p>In response, the military struck approximately 100 terrorist sites across Southern Lebanon over the weekend, it stated.<\/p>\n<p>Among the targets struck were Hezbollah observation posts, weapons storage facilities and other sites \u201cfrom which Hezbollah terrorists advanced attacks against IDF soldiers and the State of Israel,\u201d according to the statement.<\/p>\n<p>Hezbollah\u2019s attacks continued on Sunday morning, when the Israeli Air Force intercepted several rockets fired at soldiers stationed in Lebanon. No injuries were reported in the rocket assault.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, an unmanned aerial vehicle impacted \u201cnear the area in which IDF soldiers are operating in Southern Lebanon,\u201d it said. No IDF injuries were reported.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"Tumblr\",\"Email\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"medium\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"Israeli%20soldier%20slain%20in%20Hezbollah%20drone%20attack\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":92585,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[15178,812,453,8790,8795,8788],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92584"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=92584"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":92588,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92584\/revisions\/92588"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/92585"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=92584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=92584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=92584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}