‘He gave everything to reserves’: Harel and Tamir mourned after deadly Lebanon blast

Major (res.) Harel Birenstock, 34, and combat medic Sergeant Major (res.) Tamir Vaknin, 33, were killed in southern Lebanon on Wednesday when an explosive device detonated in the village of Majdal Zoun. Four other reservists from the 2855th Battalion of the 55th Paratroopers Brigade were seriously wounded. The incident occurred during an operation to clear the village, with initial reports suggesting an engineering vehicle hit a device, later clarified as a booby-trapped building. The IDF responded by striking Hezbollah infrastructure, citing a "blatant violation" of the ceasefire, and is investigating when the device was planted.

• Friends and family mourned the fallen reservists, highlighting their dedication to service. Michael Tomer, a friend of Birenstock, stated, "For the past three years, Harel put his entire life on hold and gave everything he had to reserve duty."
• Tamir Vaknin's brother, Yoav, described him as having "a huge heart" and noted his continuous commitment to reserve duty since October 7th.
• Eilat Mayor Eli Lankri called Vaknin "a hero of Israel, the salt of the earth."