71-year-old Israeli researcher killed in Lebanon while joining troops to survey archaeological site

In a highly unusual incident, an Israeli civilian was killed deep in Lebanese territory yesterday while accompanying troops to survey an ancient fortress. Meanwhile, the IDF resumed airstrikes in Beirut, with IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi praising the cooperation between ground and aerial forces.

Zeev Erlich, a 71-year-old tour guide and historian, was killed by a Hezbollah ambush in Lebanon yesterday while accompanying troops on an unauthorized visit in order to survey an archaeological site.

Erlich reportedly received permission from Col. Yoav Yarom, chief of staff of the Golani Brigade, but not from the higher brass, to accompany troops to an ancient fortress overlooking the town of Tyre.

During the visit, he was armed and equipped with protective gear but reportedly not on active reserve duty. Despite this, the IDF posthumously raised his rank to Major, as is usually done when a soldier dies on active duty.

The force under the command of Yarom entered a village that was believed to have been cleared of terrorists and took Erlich to the nearby fortress. There, two Hezbollah terrorists lay in waiting and opened fire on the force.

They managed to kill Erlich and Sgt. Gur Kehati (20) and wounded several other soldiers, including Yarom, before being eliminated. The Galilee Medical Center updated on Thursday morning that a company commander was still in serious condition but had stabilized, while Yarom was in good condition but remained hospitalized.

Erlich was mourned by numerous politicians and settlement leaders. The Binyamin Regional Council wrote that Jabo (Erlich’s nickname) “was a great researcher in the field of exploring the Land of Israel and its settlement. Jabo was from among the veterans of the settlement of Ofra in Binyamin, married to Tamar and grandfather to grandchildren.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich condoled Erlich, saying his work “uncovered the secrets of the great land through love and passion for it.”

“Many thousands of enthusiasts for the land of Israel grew up and will grow up on findings and insights that he brought to the world, out of great love for the Holy Land, its heritage and the history of the Jewish people in it,” said Binyamin Regional Council Israel Gantz.

On Wednesday, IDF chief Halevi toured the Lebanese front together with Northern Command chief Maj.-Gen. Ori Gordin, Air Force chief Maj.-Gen. Tomer Bar, and other high-ranking generals.

“We are here with a very clear mission - to return the residents of the north to their homes safely. I want to say something about the aerial cooperation. I don't know when a commander of the air force ever came to meet with commanders on the battlefield, at the deepest point we entered in Lebanon, far from the border. This indicates a profession, it indicates a partnership,” Halevi said.

Meanwhile, the Air Force resumed its attacks on Hezbollah targets in Beirut last night, after holding off for several days while White House envoy Amos Hochstein was in the city to conduct ceasefire negotiations.

#عاجل إلى جميع السكان المتواجدين في منطقة الضاحية الجنوبية وتحديدًا في المباني المحددة في الخرائط المرفقة والمباني المجاورة لها في حارة حريك

⭕️أنتم تتواجدون بالقرب من منشآت ومصالح تابعة لحزب الله حيث سيعمل ضدها جيش الدفاع بقوة على المدى الزمني القريب

⭕️من أجل سلامتكم وسلامة… pic.twitter.com/e6Jn4CmMco

— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) November 20, 2024

With Hochstein arriving in Israel Thursday evening, airstrikes in Dahiyeh resumed. In the evening, IDF Arabic Spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee posted evacuation maps for three buildings in Dahiyeh. On Thursday morning, he published more evacuation calls for areas in Tyre and several nearby villages.

The IDF said Wednesday that over 100 airstrikes were carried out over the previous 24 hours, including the destruction of several rocket launchers used to attack Israel, launchers that were loaded and ready to fire, weapons warehouses, and other sites.

The army also said that it killed two high-ranking commanders of Hezbollah’s coastal unit in combined airstrikes and artillery shelling on Sunday.

“Their elimination constitutes another hit to the ability of the terror organization Hezbollah to advance and carry out terror operations against the Israeli rear on the northern border,” the IDF said.