Colonel Ehsan Daksa, commander of the IDF’s 401st Armored Brigade, was killed in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday, marking him as the highest-ranking officer to die since the start of Israel’s ground operations. He was 41 years old.
The Israeli military stated that Colonel Daksa’s tank struck an explosive device while operating in the city of Jabaliya. Investigations are ongoing to determine if anti-tank fire was also involved.
A native of Daliat el-Carmel and a member of the Druze community, Daksa was highly regarded as one of the IDF’s leading field commanders. Throughout his career, he held various leadership roles in armored units and had significant strategic responsibilities within the IDF’s Northern Command.
In response to the incident, the IDF confirmed that the situation at the scene is now under operational control, with Brigadier General Itzik Cohen, commander of the 162nd Division, assuming personal command of ground operations.
Since the conflict began on October 7, five Israeli colonels have been reported killed in the ongoing fighting.
