The IDF stated that the soldier died after a tank from the 9th Battalion, part of the 401st Brigade, was struck by an anti-tank missile fired by Hezbollah operatives around 9:30 p.m. local time. A battalion officer sustained serious injuries in the same incident. 

"The first missile hit the tank directly, killing the gunner and critically wounding the officer,” the army said in an official statement. Additional missiles were reportedly fired during the evacuation effort, aimed at disrupting Israeli forces, though no further casualties were reported.

An IDF spokesperson added that responding units engaged the missile launch positions, and investigations are ongoing to determine whether the attacking cell has been neutralized. 

An Israeli military source told that the 401st Brigade has eliminated approximately 20 militants in southern Lebanon since initiating ground operations last week, including anti-tank missile teams and individuals approaching frontline positions.

Eyewitnesses near the attack site described a tense evening with intermittent shelling and the sound of armored vehicles maneuvering under low-visibility conditions. "We saw several tanks moving quickly after the explosions, and there was chaos as civilians evacuated nearby areas,” said a local resident who requested anonymity for security reasons.

The attack comes amid escalating cross-border tensions following multiple rocket strikes into northern Israel. 

On Monday, March 30, the IDF reported that ten rockets targeted Haifa and surrounding areas, hitting an oil complex and buildings in Kiryat Ata and Shfar Amr. Israeli emergency services confirmed property damage, partial power outages, and several injuries. Media reports suggest that one projectile may have carried a cluster warhead, causing multiple impact sites around Haifa.

Hezbollah’s launch of rockets from southern Lebanon underscores the group’s continuing operational capability in the region. Analysts note that these strikes, combined with IDF counteroperations, reflect a broader cycle of retaliatory engagements, highlighting the volatile security environment along the Israel-Lebanon border. 

The IDF indicated that most anti-tank and sniper threats are tracked using a combination of armored units, reconnaissance, and combat helicopters. Military observers emphasize that these incidents could influence Israel’s strategic posture in northern operations and complicate ongoing diplomatic efforts to reduce border hostilities.