Top Israeli army commander 'gravely' injured by Hezbollah FPV drone strike
The commander of the Israeli army’s 401st Armored Brigade underwent emergency surgery after being airlifted out of south Lebanon
The commander of the Israeli army’s 401st Armored Brigade was seriously injured by Hezbollah resistance fighters in south Lebanon on 20 April, as he was positioned in a building with several other troops.
Colonel Meir Biderman is the highest-ranking Israeli military figure to be injured by Hezbollah since October 2023.
According to Israel’s Walla news site and other outlets, Biderman entered a building in south Lebanon’s Debel with several other soldiers.
Hezbollah’s drone penetrated the building and exploded on impact. Hebrew news site Walla reported that Biderman sustained a serious shrapnel injury to the head and was placed on artificial respiration and anesthesia after being airlifted out of south Lebanon.
The commander reportedly underwent emergency brain surgery. Israel’s Channel 7 later reported that he “remains sedated and on a ventilator, but the hospital said he is no longer in a life-threatening condition.”
Walla reported that Hezbollah was able to track the military force and successfully gather intelligence before striking them with the drone, bypassing defenses.
A reserve lieutenant colonel in the 162nd Division was moderately injured alongside Biderman, while another reservist was mildly injured, according to the Israeli army.
Biderman had only recently assumed command of the 401st Armored Brigade in October 2024, following the death of his predecessor, Colonel Ehsan Daqsa, who was killed by an explosive device in Jabalia, northern Gaza.
Under Biderman's brief leadership, the 401st Brigade participated heavily in major assaults across Gaza, including the storming of Al-Shifa Hospital and incursions into Rafah – before transferring its operations to the northern front.
In a separate attack on Wednesday, a Hezbollah drone strike seriously wounded a female soldier. Four other soldiers sustained moderate and light injuries, the army went on to say.
In total, 10 soldiers and officers were wounded in the two incidents on Wednesday.
During the past few weeks, Hezbollah has been carrying out a major and unprecedented campaign of fiber-optic FPV drone attacks against Israeli forces – both those occupying Lebanon and those stationed in bases across the border.
Israeli media reports have complained that the army did not take warnings about these drones seriously until facing heavy casualties in Lebanon this year. Troops are now attempting to deploy nets over outposts and occupation points in a bid to reduce the threat, but have so far failed to prevent being struck.
A video released by the Lebanese resistance this week showed a Hezbollah FPV drone targeting an Israeli troop carrier in south Lebanon – smashing into the target after flying right under the net erected to protect it.
The FPV drones also continue to cross the border undetected and target Israeli military sites.
The Hezbollah drone strikes have paralyzed Israeli occupation forces in south Lebanon – “restricting” nearly 80 percent of their planned military operations, Israel’s Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) reported on 18 May.
Tel Aviv has admitted to the killing of 21 soldiers by Hezbollah since 2 March.