HERZLIYA, ISRAEL: Omer Balva, an Israeli reserve soldier who has dual American citizenship was killed by an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon on Thursday, October 19.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, Balva was a Staff Sergeant from Herzliya, Israel. The 22-year-old was a commander in the Alexandroni Brigade's 9203rd Battalion, reported Fox News.
Omer Balva was in the US a week before he was called into action in Israel
Balva, who grew up in Rockville Maryland and attended the Charles E Smith Jewish Day school, was born to Israeli parents.
The young man was among the 360,000 Israeli reservists who were called to report to duty in Israel following the attack by the Palestine militant group Hamas which began on October 7.
At least 1,400 Israeli civilians were brutally murdered and an estimated 210 people were taken hostage in Gaza, as per Fox News.
Balva flew back to Israel after he was called into action while he was in the United States until last week.
Skirmishes escalate along Israeli-Lebanon border
Frequent occurrences of attacks between Israeli troops and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah have been taking place along the Israeli-Lebanon border.
There are concerns growing up over the rise of a second front in the war between Israel and Hamas.
On Saturday, October 21, Israel's northern border with Lebanon witnessed an attack between Israeli Defense Forces and Hezbollah militants after anti-tank missiles were fired into Israeli territory.
According to the Israeli military, the missile was fired from Lebanon into Israel's Margaliot area to which the Israeli troops responded with a drone strike.
IDF further stated that Lebanon launched another missile targeting the Hanita area and IDF responded with artillery fire to the Lebanese side of the border striking their missile launchers.
"The IDF is ready for all scenarios in the various sectors and will continue to act for the security of Israeli citizens," stated a military spokesperson.
Yoav Gallant, Israeli Defense Minister stated that Hezbollah militants have been paying a "heavy price" for launching their attacks on Israeli military outposts following the battle with Hamas.
"Hezbollah has decided to participate in the fighting, we are exacting a heavy price from it," Gallant said on Saturday, October 21, while he talked to the troops at the Biranit camp's 91st territorial division base, according to the Times of Israel.
"I assume that the challenges will be greater [than they are now], and you have to take this into account, to be ready like a [coiled] spring for any situation," Gallant added.
