IDF Captain Maoz Recanati, 24, Killed by Hezbollah Drone in South Lebanon

IDF Captain Maoz Israel Recanati, 24, an infantry platoon commander, was killed by a Hezbollah drone strike in south Lebanon on May 19. His death was among the most senior IDF officer fatalities in the 2026 renewed conflict. The killing illustrated the lethality of Hezbollah's drone campaign, which now combined fiber-optic FPV drones (resistant to electronic jamming) with conventional radio-controlled explosive UAVs. IDF commanders and officers have become priority targets for Hezbollah's increasingly precise drone programme. The loss of an infantry platoon commander operating in south Lebanon underscored the ongoing costs of maintaining ground positions in Lebanese territory months after the April 16 ceasefire was declared.